Maryland school ratings published: 41% receive 4 or 5 “star” ratings

Public schools in the Old Line State are seeing some improvement, according to the state Department of Education’s annual Maryland School Report Card.

The rating is based on a points system that produces a formula where schools earn between one and five stars. Elementary and middle schools receive points in four categories, including academic performance, academic progress, progress in English proficiency, and school quality and student success.

However, when it comes to secondary schools, two additional categories are included in the assessment mix – readiness for post-secondary success and graduation rates.

According to data from the 2023-24 school year, 41% of all schools received a four or five star rating.

State Assistant Superintendent for Accountability Geoff Sanderson said about 83% of schools received three or more stars and about three-quarters of the state’s public schools maintained their star rating from last year.

According to Sanderson, 91 schools received the highest rating of five stars, 75 of which received elementary schools. The number of schools with one or two stars, the lowest ratings, has also declined, school officials said.

Sanderson acknowledged that there is an encouraging sign among schools seeing a change in their star ratings.

“We have about twice the rate of schools that are growing as schools that are shrinking,” he said.

Irma Johnson, a member of the Maryland State Board of Education, noted the number of schools that had maintained their star ratings and asked, “Does that mean these schools are stagnant?”

According to Board President Joshua Michael, even a slight increase, say five points, would still ultimately result in a school being awarded three-star school status.

Commenting on the upward trend of a number of schools in the latest data, Michael pointed out: “74% of our schools that were one star last year have improved and are no longer one star schools.”

Asked what steps would be taken to improve underperforming schools, State Superintendent Carey Wright pointed to an increased focus on literacy and upcoming math reforms, as well as a focus on individual student performance.

“It has to be done student-by-student, it can’t be done by individual groups of students,” Wright said, referring to promoting improved student achievement.

Wright said there is no point in continuing to test students and expects improvements if changes are not made between tests to increase performance.

“We worked a lot with high-quality teaching materials,” Wright said.

Wright further added that the state is in the process of changing standards in a number of subject areas, including English, art, math, social studies, science and health.

“All of this will then be incorporated into our new rating system,” she said.

WTOP has reached out to Montgomery County Public Schools and Board of Education members for comment. In a news release Tuesday, MCPS acknowledged that its county’s school enrollment declines were “disappointingly flat,” adding that schools with three or more stars reported only a 0.8% increase.

According to MCPS officials, 93% of schools received three or more stars.

The release also showed that of the 202 county schools evaluated, 50% received a four- or five-star rating, surpassing the statewide rating of 41% in the same star rankings.

Interested parents can see how their district and their child’s school are performing online.

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