Strategies

1. Raise standards and adopt internationally benchmarked assessments;
2. Develop a comprehensive statewide data system that tracks student progress and monitors trends;
3. Close the “readiness gap” for school, college, and the workforce;
4. Enhance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education;
5. Expand career and technology education (CTE); and
6. Recruit, retain, and support world-class educators and principals.  
7. Maximize Federal Recovery and other federal funding opportunities;

Read the more detailed plan to achieve this important education goal...

Delivering Results

The nation's best public k-12 school system

• Ranked nation’s #1 public school system by Education Week Magazine in 2011, the fourth year in a row.
• Maryland selected to receive $50 million in funding for early learning programming as part of the Race to the Top for early learning competition.
• Won a $250 Million a Race to the Top Award, which will be used to implement reforms to build upon Maryland’s first-in-the-nation ranked public schools and ensure that every Maryland student receives a world-class education.
• #1 in the nation in Advanced Placement (AP) test passage rate for 2011, the third year in a row.
• Record funding for K-12 education.
• Record $1.5 billion for school construction, over $650 million more than the previous administration. Proposed an additional $370 million in the FY 2013 budget.
• Initiated statewide longitudinal data system to track progress from Pre-K to workforce.
• Adopted the Common Core State Standards to ensure that our students receive a world-class education that prepares them to compete in the 21st century global economy.
• Launched TELL Maryland Survey to engage Maryland educators on working conditions and paths to progress.
• More than doubled the number of charter schools in operation
• #1 in the nation in the percentage of high schools offering—and students taking—college-level courses
  • America's Best High Schools
  • For third year in a row, Maryland public high schools rank number one
• Increased principals’ participation in professional development activities.
• Realized highest MSA scores in Maryland’s history.
• Increased child readiness and early childhood program participation
• National Education Association’s “America’s Greatest Governor of the Year 2010”
• Governor O’Malley was named the State Policymaker of the Year (2010) by the Data Quality Campaign

Enhancing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education

• Increased the number of students taking STEM AP exams by 23 percent between 2007 and 2010.  In this same period, increased the number of STEM AP exams receiving a score of 3 or better by 16.6 percent.
• Since 2006, more than tripled the number of pre-engineering and biomedical sciences students enrolled in Project Lead the Way

• Since the 2006-07 school year, increased the number of college students graduating with degrees in STEM fields by 21 percent at public institutions and 18 percent at public and private institutions combined.

 

Promoting college completion

• Froze college tuition for in-state students at zero percent increase for four years.
• Record $462 million for tuition assistance and scholarships through FY2011.
• More than $690 million in Maryland’s four historically black institutions through FY2011

College and career readiness

• Authorized the Governor’s P-20 Leadership Council of Maryland in State law.
• Developed first ever comprehensive financial literacy curriculum
• Best alignment of Pre-K to Post-Grad policies and programs.
• Improved graduation rates and made progress towards closing historic achievement gaps

Progress toward delivery will be monitored by the GDU and assessed regularly at agency and cross-agency Stat meetings.