mdEducation.html

<h1>Education in Maryland</h1>

<p>Maryland is the third highest state in 4th grade reading achievement levels, following only New Hampshire and Massachusetts. However, the state ranked 18th in per student spending in spite of it’s relative prosperity, and ranked 16th in high students not graduating on time, with 16% of students failing to do so, although the good news is that number has dropped from 20% in 2007.</p> 

<p>The percent of 4th grade students who ranked below basic on the NAEP reading assessment is shrinking, going from 35% in 2005 to 23% in 2013. High school students passing the HAS test is at it’s highest rate since 2009, and the percentage of youth 16-19 who are not in school and not working dropped from 5% to 4%. </p> 

<h1>Policy Highlight</h1>

<p>In response to a nationwide push to reduce suspensions, especially among students of color and special education students, Maryland changed its suspension policy in 2014 to move from a zero tolerance policy to one that was more open and flexible. Schools are required to submit their policies and demonstrate how the new policy will keep all but the most violent students in schools, and in particular how it will reduce the number of students on long-term suspension.</p> 

<p>Meanwhile, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan recently announced that education funding is going to be cut, and Baltimore City, which currently underperforms compared to Maryland as a whole, will lose half of its state funding. Sixty-five percent of Baltimore City 3rd graders score at the advanced or proficient level on the MSA assessments, compared to 83 percent of Maryland students.</p>