Baltimore schools hit record rating high as Maryland releases 2026 report card

Baltimore City Public Schools has posted its highest percentage of schools earning at least three stars since the state began measuring performance this way. The district's 2026 School Report Card, released by the Maryland Department of Education, shows that 53 percent of its schools achieved that threshold. This marks a major shift from the 25 percent recorded in 2022, effectively doubling the district's success rate over four years.

Statewide data from the same report indicates a general upward trend across Maryland. Approximately half of all public schools in the state received ratings of four or five stars this year. Additionally, 89 percent of schools earned at least three stars, a figure slightly higher than last year's results. The report card serves as a comprehensive assessment of performance for the more than 1,400 public schools serving 880,231 students across 23 counties and Baltimore City.

Within Baltimore, the gains were distributed across several key areas. Twenty-three schools saw their overall ratings increase compared to the previous year. Five additional schools crossed the threshold into the three to five star range for the first time. Fifteen schools in the district earned top ratings of four or five stars. The district identified two specific areas where improvements were most pronounced: a reduction in middle school absenteeism across all student groups and improved math scores for students with disabilities.

Dr. Jermaine Dawson, the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, attributed the results to collective effort. "Strong school ratings are only possible when every student, each family, and all of our staff commit to academic excellence," he said. Dawson emphasized that the goal is to prepare students for careers and the future, noting that this work starts and ends with daily teaching and learning across the city.

Robert Salley, the chair of the Board of Education, welcomed the data as evidence of progress toward newly announced focus areas. "By achieving the district's highest proportion of 3-, 4-, and 5-star schools, City Schools is already striding toward the Board's recently announced focus areas, which include more high-performing schools," Salley said. He thanked the community for providing feedback that helped shape these priorities and for supporting achievement regardless of where students live.

The state uses six specific indicators to calculate these ratings. Academic achievement measures student performance on standardized tests in English Language Arts and Math. Academic progress tracks growth compared to previous years, including science test results and credit earning in core coursework. A third indicator measures the progress of English learners toward language proficiency.

School quality and student success is the fourth metric, which looks at chronic absence rates, survey results from students and educators, and enrollment in a well-rounded curriculum. For high schools only, the report includes graduation rates, specifically the percentage of students who earn a diploma within four or five years. The final indicator, also for high schools, is readiness for postsecondary success, which tracks ninth graders earning core credits and students completing high school with standards beyond required coursework.

Based on these six indicators, the state calculates three distinct scores for each school. The total earned points percent divides the points a school earns by the total possible points. The star rating provides a concise summary of that percentage. Finally, the percentile rank compares a school's performance relative to other schools in the state. These scores allow parents, educators, and stakeholders to track year-over-year progress and compare institutions directly.

The annual report card is designed to function similarly to a student's individual report card. The state website explains that these tools help parents, educators, and other stakeholders understand how schools are performing in various academic and social areas. The data provides a transparent view of how each institution is meeting state standards for this academic year.