BALTIMORE — Looking to learn where your child's school ranks academically?
On Tuesday the Maryland State Department of Education released its 2024 Report Card.
Public schools are rated using a star system calculated by points in various different categories.
At the elementary and middle school levels, points and stars are measured by Academic Achievement, Academic Progress, Progress Toward English Language Proficiency, School Quality and Student Success.
High Schools are assessed by those same categories, along with graduation rates and readiness for post-secondary success.
Only the elementary school level reached a portion of their annual target, that being in Progress in Achieving English Language Proficiency.
Meanwhile, those same schools failed to meet their Academic Achievement goal, scoring only 9.8 out of a possible 20 points, which is still an improvement from last year.
There was no improvement, however, in overall Academic Progress at the elementary level.
Although slight strides were made in certain categories among middle and high schools, neither met their annual targets.
There were a few positives.
African American students showed the most progress in graduation rates, improving from last year and reaching their annual target with an 84.68 four-year graduation rate.
Asian students were the only other racial demographic to accomplish that feat.
All student races improved and met their target goal in English Language Arts proficiency.
The same could not be said for math. No student group reached their annual target in that subject, yet all showed slight improvement from last year.
Back in August, the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program highlighted concerns over student math struggles.
When looking at each school from a star perspective, 41 percent earned four or five stars (38% last year), while 83 percent received three or more stars (80% last year).
State Superintendent Carey Wright intends to begin a new assessment system by the 2026-27 school year.
A task force recently recommended that Academic Achievement be based exclusively on English language arts and mathematics proficiency.
“Over the last five years, the Maryland School Report Card has provided insight into factors that influence school success and student achievement,” said Wright. “However, as we move forward, we will be exploring ways to ensure that our accountability system evaluates schools in clear, streamlined ways that educators, administrators and families can easily understand.”
Some local school systems reacted to the findings by praising their staff and students.
Baltimore City Schools said this:
"The school district now has its fewest number of schools earning stars in the lowest category. City Schools leap forward also outpaced Maryland school districts overall. Eighteen percent of City Schools campuses gained at least one star compared to a year ago, better than the state’s 16 percent rise. Meanwhile, only 6 percent of Baltimore City schools lost a star compared to 8 percent statewide. Over the last year, the percentage of City Schools campuses with 3-, 4-, and 5-stars increased from 35 percent to 44 percent. This means 11 more campuses are now rated in the highest categories of performance compared to the prior year."
Anne Arundel County Schools said this:
"Sixteen comprehensive AACPS schools increased their star ratings and 62 schools – 53 percent of comprehensive schools across the county – earned four or five stars on the 2023-2024 Maryland Report Card’s five-star accountability system, according to data released by the Maryland State Department of Education today. AACPS’ overall percentage of four- and five-star schools is 6 percentage points higher than a year ago and 12 percentage points higher than the state average. This year marks the third consecutive year in which AACPS ratings have surpassed the state average. The percentage of schools earning three or more stars rose to 92.3 percent – from 103 to 108 schools – in the latest ratings. That’s nearly 10 percentage points higher than the state average."
Frederick County Schools said this:
"In Frederick County Public Schools, 73 percent of schools earned 4 or 5 stars via the 2023-24 Maryland Report Cards released by the Maryland State Department of Education today. In Maryland, 41 percent of schools earned 4 or 5 stars. Five stars is the highest rating a school can earn, and FCPS had 9 schools earn that distinction. FCPS also had 12 schools ranked in the top 10 percent across Maryland."
