On Dec. 13, the Maryland State Department (MSDE) released the 2023 Maryland report card, providing an evaluation of each school in the state’s measured success. Whitman, ranked third in Maryland, received 77.9 total overall points out of 100 in categories like academic achievement, graduation rates, progress in achieving English language proficiency, readiness for post-secondary success and school quality.
Maryland’s Accountability System maps out the measurements of school performance in addition to MCPS’ Equity Accountability Model, which publicly monitors student performance data. The Maryland Accountability System includes overall points earned, a star ranking out of five and a percentile ranking compared to other schools in the state, while the Equity Accountability Model reports on different focus groups of students in MCPS and compares their level of access and opportunity.
PTSA President Katie Blot believes transparency in school performance data is critical as it builds trust among stakeholders, providing a foundation for collaborative work.
“When only a select few have access to information it limits everyone else’s ability to engage in meaningful conversations and debate,” Blot said. “When data is accessible to a broader audience, it enables a more inclusive and informed dialogue.”
The Maryland state survey collects information from educators and over 161,000 students from grades 5-11. Each school receives an index ranking from 1 to 10 points for each category, later added to the school’s total score. The report combines scores in enrollment, graduation rates, attendance and assessment scores, all contributing to the overall score.
Whitman earned a five out of five overall rating in the 95th percentile, while neighboring high schools Bethesda Chevy Chase and Walter Johnson High School obtained four star ratings.
When Blot analyzed the data, she found it difficult to evaluate scores due to the pandemic, since schools have put so much effort into reteaching lost knowledge and skills.
“It’s hard to say, for example, whether the fact that most schools didn’t show improvement should be disappointing or if we should recognize that stemming additional losses was actually positive,” Blot said. “It does seem like Montgomery County had less improvement relative to many other districts in Maryland. This stood out to me and I think it is something to look into.”
Whitman improved and hit their annual target on academic achievement, indicating high scores on math and English state testing exams. The school earned a 6.3 out of 7.5 for math and 6.5 out of 7.5 for English, contributing to the 23.8 out of 30 points earned in the category. Additionally, there was an improvement in overall graduation rates, receiving a 14.6 out of 15. Whitman also received 9.2 points out of 10 in the readiness for the secondary success category.
Assistant Principal Kristi McAleese said that Whitman’s secondary success readiness score is a huge accomplishment which demonstrates the hard work of students and staff.
“An area of celebration is the 9.2 out of 10,” McAleese said. “Students on track for success after high school is one of our goals. [We want to] ensure that students are prepared for their journey after being at Whitman.”
Despite the five-star rating, the school did fall short in certain areas. There was no improvement in English language proficiency, school quality and student success. The report indicated that the quality of the school’s environment was at 25.4 out of 35, reporting 15.1% of students as chronically absent. Whitman also has a large percentage in the access to a well rounded curriculum category.
Whitman received a five-star ranking on the last report card as well, but the 2021-22 school year had a higher total score of 83.6 of 100 points.
McAleese explained that the report is a helpful indicator of Whitman’s atmosphere, and believes the school works hard to make sure all students are prepared to succeed after high school.
“We always want to make sure we are reflective and improving on our practices, making sure we are serving all students,” McAleese said. “There are always areas where we can be better and I think we are working towards those areas.”
