Seventy-three county schools – nearly 65 percent of those assessed under the Maryland Report Card five-star accountability system – increased their rating in the 2018-2019 school year, with 20 of those moving up two stars, according to data released by the Maryland State Department of Education today. Overall, 62 percent of AACPS schools earned four or five stars, and 95 percent earned three or more stars.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools has 23 five-star schools, compared to five a year ago. More than 20 percent of AACPS schools rated on the report card earned five stars, the highest percentage among Maryland’s five largest school systems.
“This is a reflection of the tremendous work our incredible employees in classrooms, leadership and support roles continue to do at every level by focusing on every single individual student,” Superintendent George Arlotto said. “While we anticipated increases related to the elementary curriculum piece, these results surpass that. We quadrupled the number of five-star schools in our county and doubled the number of four-star schools.”
The following elementary schools increasing their ratings by two stars: Arnold, Belvedere, Cape St. Claire, Four Seasons, George Cromwell, Germantown, Glendale, Jacobsville, Meade Heights, Mills-Parole, Oak Hill, Odenton, Park, Piney Orchard, Riviera Beach, Severna Park, Shady Side, South Shore, Southgate, and Waugh Chapel.
The ratings, calculated from data collected during the 2018-2019 school year, are the second issued using the metrics that are part of Maryland’s accountability system under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Report Card incorporates multiple indicators of school performance and calculates them into a final score to arrive at a rating of one to five stars. While the specific indicators vary between the elementary, middle, and high school levels, a school’s score generally includes: academic achievement; academic growth; school quality, which includes attendance, climate, and access to a well-rounded curriculum; college and career readiness; and the progress of English Language Learners.
The following schools earned five-star ratings:
- High School: Severna Park
- Middle School: Severna Park
- Elementary School: Arnold, Belvedere, Benfield, Cape St. Claire, Crofton, Crofton Woods, Folger McKinsey, Four Seasons, Jones, Oak Hill, Pasadena, Piney Orchard, Riviera Beach, Rolling Knolls, Severna Park, Shipley’s Choice, South Shore, Waugh Chapel, West Annapolis, Windsor Farm
- Multi-level: Chesapeake Science Point
Schools Not Rated
Schools that do not meet the minimum requirements for accountability were not rated as part of the Maryland Report Card. In Anne Arundel County, those schools are:
- Center of Applied Technology – North
- Center of Applied Technology – South
- Central Special School
- Carrie Weedon Early Education Center
- Ferndale Early Education Center
- Marley Glen School
- Mary Moss @ J. Albert Adams Academy
- Ruth Parker Eason School
- Studio 39
- West Meade Early Education Center