Last day of school is here- how are our kids doing?

A new report from the Maryland State Department of Education shows that students in our state are struggling to meet state standards in math and English.

The report that was released earlier this week is troubling: only 14.4% of students across all grades were proficient in English, and only 13.2% were proficient in math. Let’s have this sink in: less than 2 students out of 10 are proficient in these very important, foundation-building subjects.
It is obvious that the quality of education in Maryland needs to be improved with lighting speed. Different sources site several possible reasons for our state’s low scores: :

• Misaligned spending of educational funding: Maryland spent $15,489 per pupil in 2020, and ranks high among other states on educational spending. This high spending does not result in high scores, non-crowded classrooms or fully staffed schools.
• The COVID-19 pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on education, and students who were forced to learn remotely during the pandemic are now facing significant academic challenges.
• Inequity in education: Maryland's schools are economically segregated, and students in low-income and minority communities often have less access to high-quality education than their peers in more affluent communities.

Gaithersburg is an affluent community, and I pulled the results for Lakelands Park Middle School, which is a neighborhood school for my daughter. While the results were much higher than the state’s average, they were not outstanding: 49% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 63% scored at or above for English proficiency.
The state’s low test scores are an indication that our children are not ready to take on the real world, where math and English form a necessary base for future education and employment. There are a number of things that can be done to improve our state's education system, including:

• Optimize and increase funding for education: Maryland needs to invest more money in its schools in order to reduce class sizes, hire more qualified teachers, and provide students with access to high-quality resources.
• Address inequity in education: This is evident in Montgomery County as well, where students' scores are related to their zip code. All students need to have access to quality education.
• Support teachers: Maryland needs to do more to support its teachers, including providing them with more training and resources.
• Provide more support for students and parents: Maryland needs to provide more support for students who are struggling academically, including tutoring, after-school programs, and summer school. Parents and guardians should be encouraged to take a more active approach.

Solutions to Maryland’s low test scores are complex, but it needs to be addressed from multiple angles. Schools, state and local government, parents and students themselves are all parts of the equation that will require funds and efforts to solve.