Education Week: Baltimore County Public Schools Have Fourth-Highest Graduation Rate

In a report released today by Education Week, Baltimore County Public Schools have the fourth-highest graduation rate in the nation out of the 50 largest school districts.

The school system's graduation rate of 77.8 percent in 2008 is higher than Maryland's rate of 76.8 percent and the national rate of 71.7 percent. Education Week is a national publication and website that compiles data and reporting on national education trends and standards.

But the school district's graduation rate has dropped when compared over a 10-year period, according to the Diplomas Count 2011 Report. While the national graduation rate has ticked up by 6.1 percentage points, the county has dropped by 8.3 percentage points. This follows a similar trend in Maryland, where the rate has dropped by 2.1 percentage points when compared over a 10-year period.

Schools Superintendent Joe Hairston said in a release that the data was significant, as the school's minority and lower-income population has been growing, which also mirrors a national trend.

“The staff and students of [the school system] are demonstrating to the nation that race, ethnicity and family income do not have to be predictors of academic success. Our positive performance has been consistent throughout our transformation,” he said. “We have high expectations for all of our students, and they are living up to those high expectations every day.”

Compared to the national rates, Baltimore County is more diverse in some areas; 40 percent of the county's students are black compared to 17 percent nationally. Just under 50 percent of the county's students are white, compared to 55.8 percent nationally. The county has 34.4 percent of students who receive free and reduced-price meals, compared to 40.6 percent nationally.