March 3rd, 2023 by WCBC Radio

The percentage of Maryland students receiving a high school diploma in four years remains consistently high, according to data released this week by the Maryland State Department of Education. The four-year cohort graduation rate was 86.3% in 2022 which is only a small decrease compared to 87.2% in the prior school year. Students graduating in the 2022 cohort were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for most of their high school experience. The pandemic impacted graduation rates in 2022 because schools closed in the spring of the students’ 10th grade year, and virtual learning was primarily applied until they returned to the physical classroom in their 12th grade year. While graduation rates stayed relatively the same, middle school students seem to continue to struggle, according to the new state school report card. Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson said there is a direct correlation between the dropout rate and juvenile crime…

Individual school report cards and systemwide report cards will be released March 9.