The most important investments we make as a people are investments in public education. That’s why, even in the toughest of times, together, we’ve chosen to increase school funding 45% since 2006. To get our children out of temporary learning shacks and into state-of-the-art classrooms, we’ve invested over $2 billion in school construction.
To make college more affordable for more Marylanders, we’ve held the line on college tuition increases after a four-year freeze at all University System of Maryland schools and Morgan State University.
I shared these stats a few days ago on Twitter and was asked the following:
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MattDCBrown: "@GovernorOMalley Have we seen an increase in school acheivement with this increase in spending?"
The answer is yes. As a state, we’ve set the goal to improve student achievement and school, college and career readiness in Maryland by 25% by the end of 2015. We’re making progress.
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- Education Week Magazine has named Maryland’s Public School System No. 1 in the country for the past four years in a row now.
- According to a new report from the Harvard Kennedy School, Maryland led the country in the growth in student achievement between 1992 and 2011.
- This year, we achieved the highest-ever MSA scores in elementary reading and math.
- This year, we achieved the highest-ever middle school math scores.
- Today, more than 76% of our middle school students score proficient in math—up from 39% in 2003.
- Our high school students continue to lead the nation with the highest Advanced Placement Scores.
- Students taking STEM AP exams increased 36% from 2007 to 2011.
- The number of college students graduating with STEM degrees increased 21% at public institutions and 18% at public and private institutions combined.
Watch the video above to learn more about the progress we’re making on our goal and thanks again to all of our students, parents, teachers, administrators and faculty for making Maryland’s schools No. 1 in the nation.
Martin O'Malley is the governor of Maryland. He writes a regular blog for his official website.
