Baltimore City Students' Test Scores Remain Among Lowest Despite Increased Funding

Baltimore City students continue to struggle academically, as recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that their test scores remain among the lowest in the nation. This situation has reignited discussions regarding the leadership of City Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises.

In a press release issued in late January, Baltimore City Schools highlighted that fourth graders made significant gains in math, with scores increasing from 201 to 209 since 2022. However, despite this improvement, the district still ranks as the fourth lowest among the 26 large school systems evaluated.

Shannon Wright, a former candidate for Baltimore City Mayor, expressed skepticism about the school system's claims, arguing that the overall performance remains unacceptable. “We have a broken system,” she stated, emphasizing the need for transparency in the reporting of educational outcomes.

The NAEP assessments, conducted every two years, evaluate fourth and eighth graders across the country in math and reading. While Baltimore City Schools reported that eighth-grade math scores held steady at 245, this figure also places the district among the lowest nationally.

In terms of reading, fourth-grade scores rose slightly by one point, while eighth-grade scores fell by one point. Nevertheless, Baltimore City ranks fourth lowest in fourth-grade reading and fifth lowest in eighth-grade reading, a fact not prominently mentioned in the district's communications.

Wright, who ran for mayor in 2024, has joined other political figures in calling for Santelises's resignation, citing a direct link between educational performance and broader societal issues, including youth crime. “If we do not fix our schools and our system, we will not fix youth juvenile justice,” she remarked.

Under Santelises's leadership since 2016, NAEP scores have declined across all categories compared to 2017, with Baltimore's performance dropping more significantly than the national average for large cities. Wright insists that educational improvement is essential for the city's economic growth and overall well-being.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WBFF (source).