BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland State Department of Education on Tuesday released new graduation rates for students graduating from public schools this year, showing a slight decrease from the previous year.

According to the data, the 2023 cohort graduation rate was 85.8%, down from 86.3% in 2022. The graduation rate for economically disadvantaged students rose slightly from 75.7% in 2021-2022 to 80.8% in 2022-2023, and for Black/African American students, it increased to 84.7% in 2022-2023, up from 84% the year before.

The Maryland State Department of Education said that the graduation rate for all students has remained mostly the same since 2019, with a slight decrease in 2022. The department said that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many students’ education, with many students missing out on in-person learning opportunities.

“Maryland’s students are among the best and brightest in the world and while our graduation rates are good, they can be better,” said Interim State Superintendent Carey M. Wright. “We have an opportunity to build upon our education system’s strong foundation to achieve the equitable and successful outcomes we want for all students.”

The Maryland State Board of Education said that the new graduation rates show the urgency of implementing changes to the state’s education system. The board said that a system-wide transformation is needed from early childhood through grade 12 in order to ensure that all students graduate from high school and are prepared to succeed in college, careers, and life.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.