This year, the test results were shocking. In more than 200 schools across the state, over 95% of public-school students were NOT proficient in basic math. These schools include roughly 77,000 students.
Baltimore City Public Schools have collapsed
The Baltimore City Public School District ranked the lowest across the state. A total of 23 Baltimore schools had zero students proficient in math! Another 20 Baltimore City Schools had just one or two students test proficient in math. The progressive state of Maryland has a failing education system, the likes of which are incomprehensible.
In February, the list of schools where zero kids could comprehend basic math included the following:
Failed elementary schools include: Abbottston, Belmont, Dallas F. Nicholas Sr., Dororthy I. Height, Johnston Square, Park Heights Academy, Steuart Hill Academic Academy, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Failed Middle Schools include: Collington Square, Baltimore International Academy West, Excel Academy, Independence School Local 1, and Joseph C. Briscoe. Failed High schools include: Achievement Academy, Augusta Fells Savage, Baltimore School for the Arts, City Neighbors High, Coppin Academy, Forest Park, New Era Academy, Reach! Partnership, Renaissance Academy, and Vivien T. Thomas.
Schools where only one or two students were proficient in math include the following: Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy West, Carver Vocational-Technical High, ConneXions: A Community Based Arts School, Dickey Hill Elementary/Middle, Digital Harbor High School, Dr. Bernard Harris, Sr., Elementary, Edmondson-Westside High, Eutaw-Marshburn Elementary, Frederick Elementary, Gwynns Falls Elementary, Lillie May Carroll Jackson School, Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High, National Academy Foundation, Patterson High, Reginald F. Lewis High, Robert W. Coleman Elementary, Sinclair Lane Elementary, Stadium School, Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle, and Westport Academy.
Maryland Department of Education is concealing test scores
Investigative journalist Chris Papst from Fox45 News gathered the raw data on student test scores directly from Baltimore City Schools, as part of his investigative effort called Project Baltimore. The raw data was originally posted to the state’s website, but after it was analyzed and the story broke about zero students being proficient in math, the state took the data down. Weeks later, the data reappeared on the website, with asterisks in place of some of the data. Chris Papst says the state modified the original data set and is keeping the raw data from the public. The raw data allegedly includes redacted test scores, which the district defines as “enhanced deidentification.” The redacted test scores are replaced with asterisks to conceal low test scores and make the district look good, when it is actually an abysmal failure.
Upon further investigation, Project Baltimore learned that the Maryland State Department of Education changed the way it reports state test scores, hiding certain results from the public. Sean Kennedy from the Maryland Public Policy Institute concurred with Chris Papst. He reported back in April: “The State Education Department is instituting a cover-up of what’s going on in public schools; it’s outrageous.”
According to the most recent raw data taken from Baltimore’s public schools, 1,736 took the test and 1,295 (74.5%) scored at the lowest level (1 out of 4). Even after dumping a historic amount of money into education, most students aren’t anywhere close to proficiency in basic math and other subjects.
“I'm irate,” said Sean Kennedy. “That data is utterly useless. They made it completely useless, and they did it on purpose.”
Sean Kennedy couldn’t believe what the state had done to conceal the failure of the public school system. “Instead of coming clean and saying that they failed the students of Baltimore City and students across the state, they're trying to hide it, and now they're piling lies on why they're hiding it,” Kennedy told Project Baltimore.
The investigation is ongoing.
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