School Performance

The Charles County school district includes 38 public schools that serve 26,891 students. Public School Review reports:    

• Charles County schools fall at the bottom 50% of public schools in Maryland for math and English proficiency.    

• The average math proficiency score is 32% (versus the Maryland public school average of 38%).   

•  The average reading proficiency score is 43% (versus the 46% statewide average).  

These stats nosedived even further during the Covid school lockdowns and other mandates. 

In 2016, in 13 of Baltimore's 39 high schools, not a single student scored proficient on the state's math test. In six other high schools, only 1% tested proficient in math.  Only 15% of Baltimore students passed the state's English test. 

More money has made no difference. Baltimore schools rank third in spending per pupil. 

Many parents are opting out of the public school system. The Maryland Homeschool Association (MHA) recently reported an “unprecedented” 53.6% increase in homeschooling. 

According to MHA’s founder Alessa Keener, this mass exodus (which happened all across the country) was because “parents grew dissatisfied with their children’s education quality.”

Homeschooling is a great option and should be encouraged and supported.  But not all parents are in a position to homeschool. 

The next best choice is private or charter schools. Unfortunately, too many of our elected representatives are   swayed by school unions, which have their own agenda. Thus, rather than putting children first, politicians, more often than not, erect roadblocks to school choice.

As long as children are placed in K-12 public schools, we need our education system to be the best that it can possibly be.  In a (so-far) free and prosperous nation like the United States, there is no excuse  not to have a top-rated educational system that not only puts children first, but rivals and outpaces schools internationally.