BALTIMORE — Maryland public school students are struggling mightily in math.
Last month the State Department of Education released its 2022 Maryland School Report Card.
It revealed a majority of students in most school districts are well below average in math proficiency.
WMAR-2 News reviewed and compared the achievement percentage of elementary, middle, and high school students in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties.
None reached their annual target or showed improvement since the 2018-2019 academic year.
MORE: State School Report Card shows positives and negatives following pandemic
Only Carroll County Elementary students reached or surpassed 50 percent proficiency.
In Baltimore City the overall proficiency percentage is below double digits among elementary (9.9%) and middle school students (6.7%).
Same goes for Kent County middle school students (8.2%).
African American and Hispanic students appear to be most impacted.
Five percent or less of Black middle school students were proficient in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Cecil and Kent Counties.
That's the same rate for Hispanic middle school students in Baltimore and Kent Counties.
According to the latest Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP), Hispanic students grades five and up throughout the entire state, averaged single digit proficiency rates.
African American students from grade six through algebra two posted similar scores.
Overall MCAP showed eighth-graders are farthest behind, with a 6.9 percent proficiency rate.
Meanwhile the State Department of Education doesn't even list an overall proficiency percentage when it comes to algebra two.
Republican State Delegates Ryan Nawrocki and Kathy Szeliga, who represent District 7A in Baltimore County, say more than half of Baltimore County public high schools had two or fewer students testing proficient in math.
The two demanded answers from the Baltimore County and Maryland State Departments of Education.
In a response, out-going Baltimore County Superintendent Darryl Williams suggested the results partly reflect the impacts of COVID-19.
He added that prior to the pandemic, Baltimore County was already experiencing "significant gaps in student performance on state assessments for many years."
Williams cited the growing needs of different student groups as reasons to provide more funding.
"We have a rapidly growing English Language Learner population and have seen a substantial increase in the number of students eligible for free and reduced price meals," said Williams. "We have also seen significant growth in the number of students receiving special education services."
Nawrocki was not satisfied with Williams' explanation claiming "if money was the solution to all these issues, Maryland's schools should be in the top five in the nation."
Baltimore County is not the only jurisdiction to face criticism from leaders over student performance.
Last June former Governor Larry Hogan demanded action after an investigative report revealed a massive "grade-fixing scheme" within Baltimore City Public Schools.
That report followed a change in City school policy that no longer made failing students repeat their grade levels.
To read the 2022 Maryland School Report Card, click here.
