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Good News In Maryland Schools
Over the last five years, since the Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act ("Thornton") passed, Maryland's public schools have made big strides toward becoming the great schools that all our children need and deserve. Did you know?...Education Week’s comprehensive and highly respected Quality Counts survey ranked Maryland’s education system #3 in the nation. Historic Thornton funding increases have helped produce increases in the number of elementary and middle school students passing math and reading tests in every school system in the state. Maryland’s ranks of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs), the gold standard of teaching, rose by 232 last year, bringing the state’s total to 1,063—15th in the nation. More than one-third (35.3%) of Maryland’s class of 2007 took an AP exam during high school—the 3rd-highest participation rate in the country. Last year Maryland ranked #2 in the nation in the percentage of students who received a grade of “3” or better on AP tests and #2 in improvement on that measure. In Maryland, 8.3% of students earning a 3–5 on an Advanced Placement (AP) exam are African-American. That’s the nation’s 5th-highest percentage. From 2002 to 2007, the number of AP exams taken by African- American students rose 172%, and the number earning a score of 3 or higher climbed 129%. Over the same time, the number of AP exams taken by Hispanic students jumped 182%, and the number earning a 3 or higher rose 137%. Maryland leads the U.S. in improving 8th grade students’ math performance. Maryland ranks #2 in the College Board’s Middle States Region in SAT scores. Maryland ranks #4 in the country in the population holding a college degree. In 2007, Maryland awarded 18 school systems $1.9 million to plan and implement rigorous science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs Maryland ranks among the top 10 states in providing prekindergarten to 4–year–olds. Maryland's public school educators are proud of the progress we've made with the help of elected officials, parents and the public. But we know that much more needs to be accomplished. We need to continue working together to ensure that every child in every community has access to great public schools! |
