Maryland
Maryland spends among the highest per pupil of any state and, following the passage of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future in 2021 (a 10-year, $3.8 billion reform plan), is dramatically expanding early childhood education, expanding community schools, elevating teacher compensation, and increasing accountability for school systems. Maryland's school quality is bifurcated: Montgomery and Howard counties consistently rank among the best-performing large school districts in the nation, while Baltimore City Schools have faced decades of underfunding and governance challenges. The state's proximity to DC creates a unique talent market for educators and policymakers. Maryland uses the MCAP (Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program) and the MISA for science.
| District | Schools | Students | Per-Pupil | Grad Rate | Free Lunch | Opp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large Districts — 10,000+ Students | ||||||
| Montgomery County Public Schools | 209 | 160K | $20,473↓27% | 88.9% | 46.0%↓13% | 51 |
| Prince George's County Public Schools | 199 | 131K | $21,751↓23% | 80.5%↓10% | 71.5%↑35% | 41 |
| Baltimore County Public Schools | 177 | 110K | $18,242↓35% | 88.8% | 53.1% | 49 |
| Anne Arundel County Public Schools | 126 | 84K | $19,959↓29% | 89.5% | 42.3%↓20% | 44 |
| Baltimore City Public Schools | 154 | 76K | $23,862↓15% | 74.8%↓17% | 71.2%↑34% | 35 |
| Howard County Public Schools | 77 | 58K | $20,893↓26% | 92.9% | 27.6%↓48% | 50 |
| Frederick County Public Schools | 69 | 47K | $16,833↓40% | 91.7% | 32.9%↓38% | 45 |
| Harford County Public Schools | 55 | 38K | $16,969↓40% | 90.6% | 39.2%↓26% | 45 |
| Charles County Public Schools | 39 | 28K | $19,839↓30% | 95.0%↑6% | 47.2%↓11% | 42 |
| Carroll County Public Schools | 44 | 26K | $18,751↓34% | 95.9%↑7% | 26.5%↓50% | 48 |
| Washington County Public Schools | 44 | 22K | $17,101↓39% | 90.4% | 61.1%↑15% | 46 |
| St. Mary's County Public Schools | 28 | 17K | $17,616↓38% | 94.7%↑6% | 40.2%↓24% | 47 |
| Calvert County Public Schools | 25 | 15K | $22,994↓19% | 94.0% | 27.5%↓48% | 44 |
| Cecil County Public Schools | 29 | 15K | $18,173↓36% | 93.2% | 53.0% | 44 |
| Wicomico County Public Schools | 25 | 15K | $20,295↓28% | 84.8%↓5% | 53.1% | 40 |
| Medium Districts — 1,000–9,999 Students | ||||||
| Allegany County Public Schools | 22 | 8,181 | $18,760↓34% | 89.8% | 60.3%↑13% | 41 |
| Queen Anne's County Public Schools | 14 | 7,387 | $31,389↑11% | 96.5%↑8% | 35.9%↓32% | 45 |
| Worcester County Public Schools | 14 | 6,841 | $23,159↓18% | 94.3%↑5% | 52.8% | 39 |
| Caroline County Public Schools | 10 | 5,667 | $20,319↓28% | 88.4% | 66.2%↑25% | 39 |
| Talbot County Public Schools | 8 | 4,523 | $17,252↓39% | 92.9% | 59.3%↑12% | 43 |
| Dorchester County Public Schools | 13 | 4,523 | $25,193↓11% | 86.2% | 100.0%↑88% | 40 |
| Garrett County Public Schools | 12 | 3,500 | $30,061↑6% | 92.0% | 47.9%↓10% | 43 |
| Somerset County Public Schools | 9 | 2,773 | $26,863 | 82.5%↓8% | 71.8%↑35% | 39 |
| Kent County Public Schools | 5 | 1,751 | $53,203↑88% | 87.0% | 68.6%↑29% | 37 |
| Small Districts — Fewer than 1,000 Students | ||||||
| SEED School of Maryland | 1 | 403 | — | 84.5%↓6% | 100.0%↑88% | 35 |
| DYRS | 2 | 35 | $166,000↑488% | — | — | 39 |