Governor O’Malley’s 15 Strategic Policy Goals

2. Improve Student Achievement and School, College, and Career Readiness in Maryland by 25% by End 2015

Building on Maryland’s “Number 1-in-the-Nation” public school system, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has set a goal and is implementing a plan to improve student achievement and readiness in Maryland by providing the State’s students with the skills needed to compete and succeed in the emerging global economy.

Strategies

Raise standards and adopt internationally benchmarked assessments;
Develop a comprehensive statewide data system that tracks student progress and monitors trends;
Close the “readiness gap” for school, college, and the workforce;
Enhance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education;
Expand career and technology education (CTE); and
Recruit, retain, and support world-class educators and principals.
Maximize Federal Recovery and other federal funding opportunities;

Read the more detailed plan to achieve this important education goal...

Delivering Results

The nation's best public k-12 school system

Ranked nation’s #1 public school system by Education Week Magazine in 2011, the fourth year in a row.
Maryland selected to receive $50 million in funding for early learning programming as part of the Race to the Top for early learning competition.
Won a $250 Million a Race to the Top Award, which will be used to implement reforms to build upon Maryland’s first-in-the-nation ranked public schools and ensure that every Maryland student receives a world-class education.
#1 in the nation in Advanced Placement (AP) test passage rate for 2011, the third year in a row.
Record funding for K-12 education.
Record $1.5 billion for school construction, over $650 million more than the previous administration. Proposed an additional $370 million in the FY 2013 budget.
Initiated statewide longitudinal data system to track progress from Pre-K to workforce.
Adopted the Common Core State Standards to ensure that our students receive a world-class education that prepares them to compete in the 21st century global economy.
Launched TELL Maryland Survey to engage Maryland educators on working conditions and paths to progress.
More than doubled the number of charter schools in operation
#1 in the nation in the percentage of high schools offering—and students taking—college-level courses
- America's Best High Schools
- For third year in a row, Maryland public high schools rank number one
Increased principals’ participation in professional development activities.
Realized highest MSA scores in Maryland’s history.
Increased child readiness and early childhood program participation
National Education Association’s “America’s Greatest Governor of the Year 2010”
Governor O’Malley was named the State Policymaker of the Year (2010) by the Data Quality Campaign

Promoting college completion

Froze college tuition for in-state students at zero percent increase for four years.
Record $462 million for tuition assistance and scholarships through FY2011.
More than $690 million in Maryland’s four historically black institutions through FY2011