Education Watch

Maryland

Scroll to P-12 Scroll to Higher Ed

In the United States, it’s generally up to state leaders to ensure that their state’s students receive a high-quality education. From allocating funding to deciding how to hold schools and colleges accountable for improving student outcomes, state leaders are responsible for many decisions that affect how districts, schools, and institutions of higher education do their work. But state leaders have a long history of making decisions that negatively affect students from underserved communities. Fortunately, impactful decisions can be made at all levels. That’s where the role of advocates come in.

Change rarely happens without pressure from people committed to educational justice — parents and families, community and business leaders, educators, and other advocates. Education Watch can help arm advocates with data that can push leaders in their states, districts, and schools to do better for all students —especially for students from low-income families, students of color, and English learners.

Use this tool to find out:

  • What the demographics of your state’s students look like
  • If your state is providing all groups of students with equitable access to key educational resources
  • How your state’s schools and colleges preparing all students for success after graduation

P-12

Demographic Overview

This section provides a context for understanding other data presented in this report. As you will see, access to learning resources and performance outcomes vary greatly across student groups. Knowing the size of each student group, and where students go to school can help education leaders plan more effectively to meet the academic needs of all students.

 

Student Enrollment

By Race and Ethnicity

Public schools educate students from diverse backgrounds. This chart shows the percentages of students by race and ethnicity enrolled in your schools.
Source: Data are for 2015-16. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data

P-12 Demographic Overview

Student Enrollment

By Race and Ethnicity

Public schools educate students from diverse backgrounds. This chart shows the percentages of students by race and ethnicity enrolled in your schools.
Source: Data are for 2015-16. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data

Student Enrollment

By Income, Language Learner, and Disability Status

Public schools educate students from diverse backgrounds. This chart shows the percentages of low-income students, students with disabilities, and English learners enrolled in your schools.
Source: Free/reduced price lunch percentages are for 2014-15; all other data are for 2016. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data; U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates

Where Do Students Go to School?

By School Locale

This chart shows the percentages of schools located in different geographic areas – rural, urban and suburban. It also shows the percentages of students attending school in each type of geographic locale. Where are most schools in your state located? Where do most students go to school?
Source: Data are for 2015-16. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data

Where Do Students Go To School?

By Level of School Segregation

More than 60 years after Brown v. Board, most White students still attend schools that are predominantly White and most Black, Latino and Native students attend schools that predominantly serve students of color. School segregation deprives all students of the chance to learn and interact with peers who come from different racial and cultural backgrounds. But it’s especially damaging for historically underserved students of color, whose schools receive less of nearly every critical educational resource, from funding, to curricular options, to our strongest teachers. How segregated are the schools in your state?
Source: Data are for 2014-15. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data

Opportunity to Learn

State and Local Revenues per Student

By District Poverty Level

Note: Districts in the highest poverty Quartile enroll 18% of the state’s students, while districts in Quartile 2 enroll 31%.

This chart shows the state and local revenues of districts serving the most and the fewest students from low-income familes in your state. How do these districts’ funding amounts compare? To learn more about school funding in your state – including how your state compares to others – click here.
Source: Data are for 2013-2015. The Education Trust, Funding Gaps

School Funding

State and Local Revenues per Student

By District Poverty Level

Note: Districts in the highest poverty Quartile enroll 18% of the state’s students, while districts in Quartile 2 enroll 31%.

This chart shows the state and local revenues of districts serving the most and the fewest students from low-income familes in your state. How do these districts’ funding amounts compare? To learn more about school funding in your state – including how your state compares to others – click here.
Source: Data are for 2013-2015. The Education Trust, Funding Gaps

State and Local Revenues per Student

In Districts Serving the Most and Fewest Students of Color

Note: Districts in Quartile 2 enroll 21% of the state’s students, while districts in Quartile 3 enroll 30%.

This chart shows the state and local revenues of districts serving the most and the fewest students of color in your state. How do these districts’ funding amounts compare? To learn more about school funding in your state – including how your state compares to others – click here.
Source: Data are for 2013-2015. The Education Trust, Funding Gaps

Access to Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education Enrollment Rate

By Student Group

N/A means estimates suppressed when the confidence interval around the percentage is greater than or equal to 10 percentage points.

High-quality early learning can help level the playing field before kids start kindergarten. But across the nation, children from low-income families and children of color are less likely to be enrolled in preschool than their White and higher income peers. What do enrollment patterns look like your state?
Source: Data are for 2012-2016. National Kids Count Data Center, Young Children Not in School

School Discipline and Chronic Absenteeism

Out-of-School Suspension Rate

By Student Group

Exclusionary discipline practices, like out-of-school suspensions, place students at risk of all sorts of negative consequences — from falling behind in school, to dropping out, to entering the juvenile justice system. Nationally, students of color — especially Black students — are more likely to receive out-of-school suspensions than their White peers, often for the same offenses. What are the out-of-school suspension rates in your state?
Source: Data are for 2013-14. Civil Rights Data Collection, State and National Estimations

Chronic Absenteeism Rate

By Student Group

To take advantage of the potential of public education, children need to be in in class. Students who are chronically absent — i.e., miss a substantial number of school days — are more likely to fall behind and drop out of school. What are the chronic absenteeism rates in your state?
Source: Data are for 2013-14. Civil Rights Data Collection, State and National Estimations

Access to Strong and Diverse Teachers

Assignment to Inexperienced Teachers

In 4th Grade Reading

Teachers make a big difference for kids. While there is no perfect way to measure excellent teaching, students who are consistently taught by inexperienced teachers are more likely to lose out. What percent of fourth grade students in your state are taught reading by a brand new teacher?
Source: Data are for 2015. National Center for Education Statistics, Certification Status and Experience of U.S. Public School Teachers

Assignment to Inexperienced Teachers

In 8th Grade Math

What percent of eighth grade students in your state are taught math by a brand new teacher?
Source: Data are for 2015. National Center for Education Statistics, Certification Status and Experience of U.S. Public School Teachers

Teacher Demographics

By Race and Ethnicity

Reporting standards not met.

*No Data: Teachers in a racial group for which reporting standards were not met.

Student Demographics

By Race and Ethnicity

Nationally, our teacher workforce does not reflect the diversity of our public schools: While more than half of all students are students of color, more than 80 percent of teachers are White. Research shows that all students benefit from the opportunity to learn from teachers of other races and ethnicities — but it’s especially critical for students of color. Research also shows that students of color who have had a teacher of the same race or ethnicity are more likely to attend school regularly, perform higher on end-of-year assessments, graduate high school, and consider college. How does the percent of teachers of color compare to the percent of students of color in your state?
Source: Data are for 2011-12. National Center for Education Statistics, School and Staffing Survey

Access to Rigorous Coursework

Students Taking Algebra or Higher in 8th Grade

By Income Level

Nationally, students from low-income families are less likely to have access to accelerated math coursework. How accessible are rigorous eighth-grade math courses in your state?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

Demographics of High School Students and AP Test Takers

Students do not have equal access to a challenging curriculum. One curriculum recognized nationwide for its rigor is the Advanced Placement (AP) program. AP students take college-level courses that culminate in challenging tests. How do the demographics of AP test takers compare to the demographics of all students in your state?
Source: Data are for 2016. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data; College Board, AP State Reports

Student Outcomes

The United States is often touted as the land of equal opportunity, but you don’t have to look any further than the U.S. education system to know that the opportunities that this country provides today are anything but equal. In fact, the U.S. education system has a history of giving some students less of everything they need to succeed in school.

Is your state providing all groups of students with equitable access to key learning resources and opportunities? Use the indicators below to find out.

 

Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate

Whether a student plans to pursue college or to enter the workforce after high school, graduating with a high school degree is becoming non-negotiable. This chart shows the 4-year graduation rates for students overall and each student group in your state. How well is your state doing in graduating all groups of students on time?
Source: Data are for 2015-16. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data

Elementary Reading

4th Grade Reading Performance

State Assessment and NAEP

All states annually test students’ knowledge and skills to determine whether students are meeting grade-level standards. But the rigor of states’ tests and standards vary widely. One way to assess the rigor of state standards is to compare student proficiency rates on state tests with those on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a highly regarded, long-standing assessment of student learning. How do your state's results on the state assessment compare to the NAEP exam?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer; State Department of Education Website

NAEP 4th Grade Reading Results

By Race and Ethnicity

N/A signifies that there weren’t enough students tested to report results.

Overall averages mask underlying gaps in achievement, so it is important to know how your state is doing both overall and for each group of students. These next two charts display how your state performed on the NAEP exam for each student group. Both charts show the percent of students who are Proficient or Advanced in green, the percent that are at the Basic level in yellow, and the percent scoring Below Basic in red. How is your state doing for different groups of students?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP 4th Grade Reading Results

By Income, Language Learner, and Disability Status

N/A signifies that there weren’t enough students tested to report results.

How is your state doing for different groups of students?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP 4th Grade Reading Scale Scores Over Time

By Race and Ethnicity

These next two charts show fourth-grade reading performance of various student groups over time. The pattern is encouraging if it shows rising student achievement and narrowing gaps between student groups. How is your state doing in reducing disparities between groups?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP 4th Grade Reading Scale Scores Over Time

By Income Level

How is your state doing in reducing disparities between groups?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP Scale Scores for Students Overall

4th Grade Reading

Comparing NAEP results across states reveals that some states are far more successful than others in educating students to high levels. This chart compares the performance of fourth graders in reading in your state to all others. How does your state compare?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP Scale Scores for Students from Low-Income Families

4th Grade Reading

Comparing NAEP results across states reveals that some states are far more successful than others in educating students from low-income families. This chart compares the reading results of low-income fourth-graders in your state to this group’s results in other states. How is your state doing compared to others?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

State Rankings in 4th Grade Reading

2003, 2017, 2003-2017 Improvement

Rank Note: N/A signifies that there weren’t enough students tested to report results.

Change in Rank Note: N/A signifies that there isn’t data for 2003 or 2017.

Is your state improving reading results for each group of students faster or slower than other states? This table shows how your state’s results compared to others’ in 2003 and in 2017. It also shows how your state ranks based on improvement between 2003 and 2017. How does your state’s rate of improvement compare to others’?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

Middle School Math

8th Grade Math Performance

State Assessment and NAEP

All states annually test students’ knowledge and skills to determine whether students are meeting grade-level standards. But the rigor of states’ tests and standards vary widely. One way to assess the rigor of state standards is to compare student proficiency rates on state tests with those on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a highly-regarded, long-standing assessment of student learning. How do your state's results on the state assessment compare to the NAEP exam?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer; State Department of Education Website

NAEP 8th Grade Math Results

By Race and Ethnicity

N/A signifies that there weren’t enough students tested to report results.

Overall averages mask underlying gaps in achievement, so it is important to know how your state is doing both overall and for each group of students. These next two charts display how your state performed on NAEP for each student group. Both charts show the percent of students who are Proficient or Advanced in green, the percent that are at the Basic level in yellow, and the percent scoring Below Basic in red. How is your state doing for different groups of students?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP 8th Grade Math Results

By Income, Language Learner, and Disability Status

N/A signifies that there weren’t enough students tested to report results.

How is your state doing for different groups of students?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP 8th Grade Math Scale Scores Over Time

By Race and Ethnicity

These next two charts show eighth-grade math performance of various student groups over time. The pattern is encouraging if it shows rising student achievement and narrowing gaps between student groups. How is your state doing in reducing disparities between groups?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP 8th Grade Math Scale Scores Over Time

By Income Level

How is your state doing in reducing disparities between groups?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP Scale Scores for Students Overall

8th Grade Math

Comparing NAEP results across states reveals that some states are far more successful than others in educating students to high levels. This chart compares the performance of eighth graders in math in your state to all others. How does your state compare?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

NAEP Scale Scores for Students from Low-Income Families

8th Grade Math

Comparing NAEP results across states reveals that some states are far more successful than others in educating students from low-income families. This chart compares the math results of low-income eighth-graders in your state to this group’s results in other states. How is your state doing compared to others?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

State Rankings in 8th Grade Math

2003, 2017, 2003-2017 Improvement

Rank Note: N/A signifies that there weren’t enough students tested to report results

Change in Rank Note: N/A signifies that there weren’t enough students tested to report results N/A signifies that there isn’t data for 2003 or 2017.

Is your state improving math results for each group of students faster or slower than other states? This table shows how your state’s results compared to others’ in 2003 and in 2017. It also shows how your state ranks based on improvement between 2003 and 2017. How does your state’s rate of improvement compare to others’?
Source: Data are for 2017. National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer

High School Completion and Readiness for Postsecondary Success

Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate

Whether a student plans to pursue college or to enter the workforce after high school, graduating with a high school degree is becoming non-negotiable. This chart shows the 4-year graduation rates for students overall and each student group in your state. How well is your state doing in graduating all groups of students on time?
Source: Data are for 2015-16. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data

Percent of Students Meeting Both the Math & Reading Benchmarks on the SAT

By Race and Ethnicity

Taking a college-entrance exam is a critical step toward enrolling in higher education.

In Maryland, 69 percent of graduating students take the SAT

The SAT is an often-used measure of college-readiness. While many students take the assessment, there are large variations in whether or not students are scoring at college-ready levels. What percent of graduating seniors who took the test are meeting college-ready benchmarks in both reading and math?

Source: Data are for 2017. College Board, The SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report

Percent of AP Tests Receiving a 3 or Higher

By Race and Ethnicity

Expanding access to advanced courses is critical — but so is making sure that student receive the preparation and support to succeed in these classes. Big differences passing rates should raise questions about the quality of instruction or educational resources provided in courses labeled Advanced Placement. How is your state doing preparing all students for success on AP exams?
Source: Data are for 2016. College Board, AP Data State Reports

Higher Education Enrollment Rate for Recent High School Graduates

By State

How does your state compare to others in getting high school students to college? This chart shows the percentage of high school graduates in the 2011-2012 class who went on to attend a degree-granting postsecondary institution.
Source: Data are for 2012. National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, Table 302.50

Higher Ed

College Enrollment

While U.S. colleges and universities are more diverse than ever before, many are not keeping pace with the growing racial and ethnic diversity of the country. In today’s society, diverse campus environments have powerful benefits for students. In today’s society, diverse campus environments have powerful benefits for students.

Do you know the demographic makeup of the students in yourMaryland’s colleges and universities are supporting students to success

 

Higher Education Enrollment Rate for Recent High School Graduates

By State

How does your state compare to others in getting high school students to college? This chart shows the percentage of high school graduates in the 2011-2012 class who went on to attend a degree-granting postsecondary institution.
Source: Data are for 2012. National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, Table 302.50

College Enrollment Overview

Higher Education Enrollment Rate for Recent High School Graduates

By State

How does your state compare to others in getting high school students to college? This chart shows the percentage of high school graduates in the 2011-2012 class who went on to attend a degree-granting postsecondary institution.
Source: Data are for 2012. National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, Table 302.50

College Enrollment

By Race & Ethnicity, and Institutional Type

College enrollment by race and ethnicity is the percentage of undergraduate students in the 2016 fall semester. The data are further broken down by the type of institution. How does your state’s college enrollment diversity compare to your state’s overall diversity for 18-24 years olds? Comparing the diversity of undergraduate enrollment for the 2016 fall semester to your state’s average overall population diversity of 18-24 year olds for the three-year period between 2014 and 2016, provides insight into how well your state’s colleges and universities are doing at ensuring access for all student groups, especially those that have historically been shut out.
*Sources: State Population Data is provided from Census, American Community Survey; Institutional Population Data is provided from Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

College Enrollment

By Family Income and Institutional Type

College enrollment by family income compares the percentage of undergraduate students awarded Pell grants to the percentage of students not receiving grants, for the academic year 2015-16. The data are further broken down by type of institution. How does your state’s enrollment of students from low-income families compare to your state’s general population? Comparing the percentage of low-income students enrolled at colleges and universities in your state to the percentage of low-income families in your state provides insight into how well your state is doing at ensuring higher education’s promise of a better life for future generations. This chart compares the percentage of low-income students enrolled in college to the percent of 11th and 12th graders from families earning less than 200 percent of the national poverty line. It relies on the average percentage of students for the three-year period from 2014-2016.
Sources: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and Census, American Community Survey

Student Enrollment at Flagship University

By Race and Ethnicity

State Population

By Race & Ethnicity

Why is it important to consider flagships versus state systems of higher education? Flagship universities receive greater funding, have higher graduation rates, and produce the majority of our future leaders. This chart shows how the enrollment at University of Maryland-College Park compares to your state’s overall undergraduate enrollment, and to your state’s general population for 18-24 year-olds.

Sources: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Student Enrollment at Flagship University

By Family Income

State Population

By Income Level

Why is it important to consider flagships versus state systems of higher education? Flagship universities receive greater funding, have higher graduation rates, and produce the majority of our future leaders. This chart shows how the enrollment at University of Maryland-College Park compares to your state’s overall undergraduate enrollment, and to your state’s general population for 18-24 year-olds.

Sources: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

College Affordability

Research shows that campus diversity has a positive impact on student success. So how are colleges and universities in Maryland doing to ensure that all students have equitable access to resources and opportunities?

The fact is, most elite colleges and universities in the U.S. produce a disproportionate percentage of the country’s “powerful,” who have influence in business, politics, and other aspects of society. They also over-enroll White students and under-enroll low-income students and students of color when compared to the makeup of the United States.

 

Average Net Price of Attendance at Four-Year Public Colleges

As a Percent of Median Family Income By State

The Average Net Price is the total cost a low-income student (Income $0 to $30,000) will pay after subtracting grant-based financial aid that students do not have to repay. Data are for students enrolled during the academic year 2015-16. Compared to median family income in 2015.
Sources: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and Census, American Community Survey

College Affordability for Students from Low-Income Families

Average Net Price of Attendance at Four-Year Public Colleges

As a Percent of Median Family Income By State

The Average Net Price is the total cost a low-income student (Income $0 to $30,000) will pay after subtracting grant-based financial aid that students do not have to repay. Data are for students enrolled during the academic year 2015-16. Compared to median family income in 2015.
Sources: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and Census, American Community Survey

Average Net Price of Attendance at Two-Year Public Colleges

As a Percent of Median Family Income By State

The Average Net Price is the total cost a low-income student (Income $0 to $30,000) will pay after subtracting grant-based financial aid that students do not have to repay. Data are for students enrolled during the academic year 2015-16. Compared to median family income in 2015.
Sources: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and Census, American Community Survey

Student Outcomes

After decades of focusing on college access, especially for students of color and low-income students, education leaders should keep an equal emphasis on supporting students to graduation. It doesn’t mean much — and can even be financially disastrous — for a student to start college but never finish with a degree.

Unfortunately, there are inequities in graduation rates — from narrow to extreme — depending on the college students attend:

But there are also examples of colleges that are ensuring that more students make it to and through college.

See how colleges and universities in Maryland are doing.

 

Six-Year Graduation Rate at Four-Year Colleges

By Race and Ethnicity

Graduation rate is the percent of first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students who completed within six years of enrolling in the academic year starting fall 2010. (2010 fall cohort).
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

College Success Outcomes

Six-Year Graduation Rate at Four-Year Colleges

By Race and Ethnicity

Graduation rate is the percent of first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students who completed within six years of enrolling in the academic year starting fall 2010. (2010 fall cohort).
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Six-Year Graduation Rate at Four-Year Colleges

By Family Income

Graduation rate is the percentage of Pell grant and non-Pell grant recipients who are first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students and who completed within six years of enrolling in the academic year starting fall 2010. (2010 fall cohort).
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Three-Year Graduation Rate at Public Community Colleges

By Race and Ethnicity

Graduation rate is the percentage of first-time, full-time associate’s degree- or certificate-seeking students who completed within 150 percent normal program time at two-year institutions in 2015-16.
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Three-Year Graduation Rate at Public Community Colleges

By Family Income

Graduation rate is the percent of Pell Grant and non-Pell Grant recipients who are first-time, full-time associate’s degree- or certificate-seeking students and who completed within 150 percent normal program time at two-year institutions by state.
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Associate's Degree or Higher Attainment

The college attainment rate is the percentage of 25-64 year-old adults who have completed an associate’s degree or above. See how your state stacks up.
Source: Census, American Community Survey

Bachelor's Degree or Higher Attainment

The college attainment rate is the percentage of 25-64 year-old adults who have completed a bachelor’s degree or above. See how your state stacks up.
Source: Census, American Community Survey

Interested in learning about another State?