January 2012

Dear Friend of Maryland Education:

I am delighted to inform you that for the fourth straight year, Education Week's Quality Counts 2012 report has ranked Maryland first in the nation, receiving the nation's only B+ ranking. This is a remarkable accomplishment for the State's public education system and worthy of celebration for all Marylanders.

Maryland's ranking is based on State education policies and student performance that reflect nearly two decades of work on preK-12 curriculum; state accountability and standards; teacher effectiveness; and work on school readiness, high school reform, and preparation for college and the workplace. Quality Counts uses more than 100 indicators to develop its report.

I want to acknowledge and thank the hard working staff at the Maryland State Department of Education. I also want to pay tribute to the dedicated local superintendents and boards, educators, legislators, students, families, and business partners. Thanks to their collective hard work, dedication, and level of support, Maryland continues to reap national rewards. Our common goal is to create great educational opportunities for every child in every zip code. Recognition of our State's track record of success is gratifying to all of us who work to strengthen our schools, but we have no intention of maintaining the status quo.

Maryland has been hard at work on the next steps in its school reform plan since gaining the top slot in the nation in 2009. In August 2010, we were awarded a competitive Race to the Top federal grant. With the additional $250 million, we are hard at work strengthening standards for students and educators, building a new data warehouse, and improving our educator evaluation system. In addition, just last month, we won another competitive Race to the Top grant in the amount of $50 million to further improve our early childhood programs.

It is without question that we have set high standards for Maryland's public education system. Our promise is that we will continue to evaluate our State policies and raise the bar to ensure that we will keep on climbing. A strong education system leads to an even stronger State economy. Maryland's Number One ranking for the fourth straight year solidifies that Maryland is definitely the place to live, work, and receive a high-quality education that prepares our students for the 21st century and the workforce.

Sincerely,

Maryland Public Schools: #1 in the Nation Four Years in a Row