Maryland School Districts Face New Ratings

The Maryland State Department of Education released the 2026 school report card on October 29, revealing that Baltimore County Public Schools holds the second-highest number of five-star schools in the state. The new ratings rely on data from the 2025-2026 school year.

BCPS currently operates 162 accountable schools. Among them, 25 received the top five-star rating. The district’s average star score rose to 3.6, an increase of 0.2 points from the 3.4 average recorded in 2025. This marks the third consecutive year the district has improved its overall average rating.

Thirty-six schools saw an increase in their star ratings. The number of schools rated two or three stars dropped by 12 percent in 2026. Conversely, the number of schools rated four stars rose from 4 to 17. The distribution of ratings across the system is as follows: 25 schools at five stars, 68 at four stars, 50 at three stars, 17 at two stars, and 2 at one star.

Elementary schools showed gains in all report card indicators. These areas include academic performance in language arts, English, and mathematics; English proficiency; school quality; and student success. Academic progress, measured by growth in English and math, science proficiency, and full curriculum completion, also improved at the elementary level.

Middle schools reported improvements in academic performance, school quality, and student success. High schools demonstrated gains in academic performance, English proficiency, postsecondary readiness, and school quality and student success. Most student subgroups across all three levels showed improvements in mathematics and language arts.

Elementary schools account for 109 of the rated institutions. Twenty-eight elementary schools increased their star rating by one star. Seventy-seven elementary schools maintained their previous rating, while only four received a lower rating than in 2025. Of the 27 middle schools, six increased their score by one star, one decreased by one star, and 20 kept their 2025 ratings.

There are 24 comprehensive high schools in the district. Twenty-one of these institutions maintained their star ratings from the prior year. Two high schools increased their rating by one star, and one received a lower rating. The state evaluates elementary and middle schools based on academic performance, academic progress, English proficiency progress, school quality, and student success. High schools are evaluated on academic performance, graduation rates, English proficiency progress, postsecondary readiness, school quality, and student success.

Superintendent Dr. Bill Heiser stated that the district’s staff worked tirelessly to promote excellence for all students. He noted that the positive results reflect collective efforts to provide high-quality instruction and programs. Heiser said the district will continue to leverage diverse measures to evaluate student progress and make necessary adjustments.

The state is currently working to redesign the accountability system to increase transparency and management reporting. BCPS plans to continue focusing on improving educational opportunities and outcomes for all students. The report card includes a user guide and one-page summaries of calculations for elementary, middle, and high school ratings to help families understand the data.