By AFRO Staff
Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) made significant strides in 2023, with 39 of its institutions improving the ratings earned on the annual Maryland School Report Card.
Every year, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) gauges schools’ performance based on state tests results and other critical academic, college readiness, and attendance measures. Each school is then awarded a star rating – from one to five stars – based on the results of its assessment.
Of Baltimore’s 164 schools and centers, only 148 were included in the report card since some lacked sufficient data in certain categories. Of those assessed, 27 percent improved in star rating, outpacing the statewide rate of 8 percent. Only nine schools – 6 percent – recorded a decrease in the number of stars earned.
Additionally, the proportion of 3-, 4-, and 5-star schools increased from a quarter of City Schools to more than one-third. And the number of 1-star schools was cut in half from 29 to 15. Two campuses – Baltimore School for the Arts and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute – earned the maximum of five stars.
City Schools officials say the gains – which mirror similar growth shown on other state reports, such as the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) results in math and literacy – reflect their efforts to address key performance areas.
“Our positive results are more than numbers on a spreadsheet; they indicate a rapid growth trajectory that outpaces our state,” said Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises, chief executive officer of City Schools, in a statement. “They are proof of the collective effort and investment of our community to accelerate the improvement of our student outcomes and schools.”
In the past few years, some of the remedies implemented by City Schools to improve student performance included, tutoring efforts to improve literacy and math proficiency, implementing individualized student learning plans, increasing summer learning offerings, and organizing a redesigned Office of Student Success to support college and career readiness.
City Schools also made investments in addressing chronic absenteeism, which MSDE defines as the proportion of students absent 10 percent or more of school days while enrolled at a school. And those investments paid off.
More than 85 percent of the schools measured – 128 of 148 schools – reduced chronic absenteeism in at least one grade band.
Those gains resulted from investments such as ensuring each school has an attendance plan, establishing cross-functional attendance teams at 64 schools, and embarking on a citywide effort to encourage regular attendance. Outreach to the community has included phone-a-thons, neighborhood visits by the “City Schools On The Go” bus, home visits and summer outreach.
“The quality of our schools – as indicated by increased stars – is improving, which equals better options for our students and families,” Santelises added. “We still have more progress ahead, but these results, paired with other positive indicators in attendance, literacy, and math, verify that we are on the right track.”
