23 Maryland schools earn Purple Star designation for support of military families

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has announced 23 schools across eight school systems as recipients of the 2025-27 Purple Star School designation. Tuesday’s State Board of Education meeting will formally honor the schools. These schools were recognized for their strong services and support for students from military families. Dr. Carey M. Wright, State Superintendent of Schools, praised […]

Maryland high school graduation rates hit highest point since 2017

BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland high school students achieved a four-year cohort graduation rate of 87.6% for the 2023-2024 school year, marking the highest rate since 2017, according to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). This represents a 1.8 percentage point increase from the previous year. The increase in graduation rates was particularly significant among Hispanic students and multilingual learners. The MSDE […]

Maryland Department of Health expands access to school-based mental health services for children, youth [VIDEO]

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Health has announced an expansion of Medicaid coverage to provide mental health services to all public school students enrolled in the program. Previously, Medicaid only covered these services for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs). This means that over 650,000 Maryland children, almost half of the state’s student population, […]

14 Maryland schools honored for Gifted and Talented Education programs

BALTIMORE, MD—Fourteen schools across Maryland received recognition for their exceptional gifted and talented education programs on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, as the state kicked off Gifted and Talented Education Month. The schools were awarded Excellence in Gifted and Talented Education (EGATE) designations by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Dr. Carey M. Wright, State Superintendent of Schools, commended schools […]

Governor Moore discusses education reform in Baltimore County

REISTERSTOWN, MD—Reisterstown Elementary School served as the backdrop for a roundtable discussion on education reform and teacher recruitment with Governor Wes Moore, early-career educators, and local school officials on January 30, 2025. The event focused on the Moore-Miller administration’s strategies to improve classroom outcomes and attract and retain teachers. A key component of the discussion was the Excellence in Maryland […]

Maryland students improve on national math, reading tests

BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland student achievement scores on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed modest improvement in mathematics and continued progress in reading. The Nation’s Report Card, a congressionally mandated biennial assessment, measures student achievement in fourth and eighth-grade reading and math nationwide. While Maryland’s scores have declined over the past decade, this year’s results show some stabilization. Reading […]

Maryland School Report Card: State sees increase in high-performing schools

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) released the 2024 Maryland School Report Card on Tuesday, revealing an increase in schools receiving high ratings. The report, which analyzes school performance for the 2023-24 academic year under the Maryland Accountability System, shows that 41% of schools earned either four or five stars, compared to 38% in the previous year. According […]

Baltimore City educator named 2025 Maryland Teacher of the Year

BALTIMORE, MD—An English language arts teacher from Baltimore City has been named the 2025 Maryland Teacher of the Year. Kat Locke-Jones, who teaches seventh grade at Hampstead Hill Academy, was selected from seven finalists for the award, which was announced Friday evening at the 34th annual Teacher of the Year Gala. Locke-Jones will now compete for the National Teacher of […]