Reason to Homeschool #3,985, 487

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by Chris PapstWed, October 4th 2023

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — How much do parents really know about Maryland public schools? Project Baltimore has learned the latest round of state test scores does not tell the whole story about student outcomes.

Right now, if you go to the Maryland State Department of Education’s website, you can find the 2023 state test scores for every school in Maryland. The data was posted last week.

The website is where parents and taxpayers can go to see how public schools are performing. But if you take a closer look at the test scores, there’s a lot you can’t see. For instance, if you’re looking for information on the lowest-performing schools in Maryland, you won’t find it.

“It's hiding the truth from parents,” said Del. Kathy Szeliga, a Republican representing Baltimore County, who spoke to Project Baltimore in April about an investigation that sparked outrage.

The investigation exposed how the Maryland State Department of Education changed the way it reports student test scores. In the process, much of the data for the lowest-performing schools was hidden behind asterisks.

As a result, parents and taxpayers don’t know how many schools are doing. But Project Baltimore does.

Last month, Project Baltimore reported on 13 high schools in Baltimore City where zero students, among those who took the state test, scored proficient in math. That story shed light on a major problem.

But the only reason Project Baltimore could tell that story is because a source gave us the raw data before it was redacted by the state.

In the version Project Baltimore obtained from the source, the data shows how many students at those 13 high schools took the state math test and how many scored in each level. Under levels three and four, it’s all zeros, which means not a single student scored proficient.

But the data for those schools released by the state looks much different. The results are gone. In levels one and two, the results are replaced with asterisks. And in levels three and four, all the zeros are shown as less than or equal to 5 percent.

Looking at the state’s data, you would have no idea how big the problem really is at those 13 Baltimore City high schools.