Maryland


U.S.
Rank
#42 F
Overall PPI Score: 60%

Maryland, at 43rd with an F, resists the tides of change. The Old Line State’s narrow scholarship access and tepid innovation continue to stifle families’ dreams of true educational freedom.

Charter Schools

Score
62%
Grade: D
Rank: #48

Despite a charter environment which primarily operates in Baltimore and is wildly successful, and while education is sorely in need of improvement in most of the state's 23 counties, the districts and the unions that control those counties wield enormous power...

Transformational Learning

Score
80%
Grade: B
Rank: #34

Maryland has extensive CTE programs of study that allow students to earn college credit or industry-recognized credentialing. Online and digital education is mastery-based, but mastery and competency-based learning is not offered in traditional brick and...

Leadership

Gov. Wes Moore’s fiscal year 2024 budget called for a 20% cut to the state’s $10 million Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) program, a scholarship for low income families to leave a struggling school and attend a provider of their...

Choice Programs (Scholarships, Vouchers, Tax Credits, etc.)

Score
50%
Grade: F
Rank: #40

The bi-partisan $10 million Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) program suffered a 20% cut at the hands of leadership this year. The small but impactful scholarship for low-income students to leave a struggling school and choose the...

DID YOU KNOW?

States with bold, parent-driven policies—like Arizona, Florida, and West Virginia—continue to lead the nation by offering the widest range of school choice options, from ESAs to charters to microschools!

Transparency

School and district report cards in Maryland are accessible on a dedicated website for report cards, hosted by the State Department of Education. Reports are written in a clear format, and have a summative rating of overall performance as well as a state...

Teacher Quality

One of many data points to assess whether a state has the right policies in place to ensure teacher quality is the "use of student achievement data in teacher preparation accountability." How empty or full the fuel tank above is will give you the answer for your state.

Fast Facts:

4th Grade Math Proficiency: 31%
8th Grade Math Proficiency: 25%
4th Grade Reading Proficiency: 34%
8th Grade Reading Proficiency: 33%
Average SAT Score: 998 / 1600
Average ACT Score: 24.7 / 36
Graduation Rate: 86.3%

Constitutional Issues

"The Maryland Constitution does not contain a Blaine Amendment but Maryland courts have a long tradition of reading its Compelled Support Clause narrowly. In more recent decisions, the court has noted that even direct grants to private educational institutions...