Question 1: How have Maryland’s test scores shifted?

 

Every two years the National Center for Education Statistics releases the Nation’s Report Card based on standardized testing scores.

 

Maryland’s place on these rankings has been falling for years. 

 

In 2013, Maryland students scored “significantly higher” than the national average in both math and reading for both 4th and 8th grade. The new data from 2024 shows Maryland kids are now scoring “significantly lower” than other states in math and “not significantly different” in reading.

 

Maryland fourth graders ranked 2nd in reading in 2013, now they rank 20th.

Maryland eighth graders ranked 20th in math in 2013, now they rank 37th.

 

 

Question 2: How much have we seen school funding increase in this time?

 

Last year Maryland schools had $19,427 of funding per student (55/45 split state/local funds). In 2013 that number was $12,255.

 

Even after adjusting for inflation, that means Maryland schools are now spending 16% more per student than in 2013. Yet we’re seeing these drops in test scores compared to the national average.

 

It’s tough to pinpoint a reason. State education experts usually point to factors like the pandemic closures or increased smartphone usage, but those affect the whole country. It doesn’t explain why Maryland’s test scores are falling at a faster rate.

 

We’re still in the first few years of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the program investing an additional $30 billion in education over 10 years. But the early results are not as promising as many parents likely want to see.

 

 

Question 3: Is the trend similar if we look only at Baltimore City?

 

Baltimore’s scores haven’t really dropped because they’ve unfortunately been low for a long time.

 

But they’re not getting better either, even though spending is going up.

 

The National Center for Education Statistics has 26 school districts around the country they say are in a “large city.” Baltimore City’s test scores are ranked 23rd. Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit are worse.

 

Baltimore 2024 scores:

4th grade math 12% proficient, reading 13%. Almost identical to 2015

8th grade math 9%, reading 16%. Again almost identical to 2015

 

(Spending $12,872 (2013) to $22,751 (2024) per student. So a slightly bigger increase in funding compared to state overall).