Maryland Schools Top Nation in Advanced Placement Tests Ranking

The numbers in Howard County are even higher than statewide results.

Maryland students have once again secured a number one ranking—this time in the number of students scoring a 3 or higher out of five on an Advanced Placement test. The state moved up from 27.9 percent in 2011 to 29.6 percent in 2012, the highest percentage in the nation, according to a report released by the College Board Wednesday. A total of 48.2 percent of Maryland students took the exam in 2012, up from 46.4 the previous year. In comparison, 28 percent of all Howard County high school students, including over half of the seniors enrolled in an AP class in 2012, with 82 percent also taking the corresponding exam. In addition, 82 percent of the exams resulted in a score of 3 or higher, with 56 percent scoring a 4 or higher, according to …

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Maryland Schools Top Nation 5th Consecutive Year

The state received a B+ grade by Education Week, which released the annual report.

Maryland schools were ranked the best in the nation for the fifth year in a row, according to a study released by Education Week. "Maryland public schools are so fortunate to have bipartisan support throughout the State," State Superintendent Lillian Lowery said in a statement. "Our schools have the benefit of strong support from the Governor, other elected officials, educators, parents, business leaders, and the public at large. This ranking could not be achieved without the support of every partner, and we won’t be able to continue our improvement without that broad coalition." The state received an 87.5, B+ grade in the publication's analysis. Massachusetts trailed by 3.4 points to secure a second place ranking. At the other end of the …

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National School Boards Association: Federal Cuts Would Deliver Crippling Blow to Public Education

The association's leaders claimed that there would be more than $4 billion in federal funding cuts in public education nationwide if sequestration provisions are implemented.

The National School Boards Association warns that congressional inaction could force the implementation of sequestration provisions, causing critical harm to the public education system.   At a Wednesday afternoon media teleconference, Deborah Rigsby, the organization's director of federal legislation, said that if legistlators did not take action before the first round of cuts take places on Jan. 2, 2013, public education will stand to lose more than $4 billion over the next 10 years nationwide in federal funding. Ostensibly, she said, school districts would lose $82,000 for every $1 million provided at the federal level for programming including Title I and special education. "The sequestration fund cuts could result in high class sizes…

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Maryland Public Schools First in the Nation

Education Week rankings put Maryland at the top for the fourth year in a row.