“Success masks a dark underbelly of Maryland student achievement, ” said the report, the State of Maryland Public Education. The group unveiled its report at a press conference with state lawmakers in Annapolis Tuesday afternoon.
Among its findings (based on results of the National Assesssment of Educational Progress):
* Maryland has the second largest disparity in the country between low-income students and their wealthier classmates on the 8th grade math test
* Eighteen percent of African-American eighth graders scored at least proficient on the math exam, compared to 56 percent of white students — a racial achievement gap that has more than doubled since 1990
* Maryland has the fourth largest socio-economic disparity in the country on the corresponding 8th grade English test
