Maryland Public Schools Ranked #1!

Education Week Releases "Quality Counts" State Education Rankings.

The St. Petersburg Times (1/7) reports, "Maryland ranks No. 1 among states in education quality, according to the latest annual report card from the highly regarded Education Week newspaper." Education Week considered "six broad categories -- including student achievement, standards and accountability, and funding -- and dozens of specific indicators" in determining the rankings." Overall, the state "earned a B this year, up slightly from last year." The St. Petersburg Times also noted that Mississippi, Idaho and Nevada ranked lowest on Education Week's report card, and Massachusetts and New York ranked second and third, respectively.

The Baltimore Sun (1/7, Bowie) adds, "Maryland, ranked third last year, edged out Massachusetts by one-tenth of one percent" to earn the top spot on Education Week's "Quality Counts" state education rankings this year. Both states were given a B grade overall, but the national average was a C. Maryland scored well on the standards for early childhood education and preparing students for college."