Baltimore County Education

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Education

Baltimore County is one of the most educated communities in the United States.  Our universities and secondary schools consistently achieve providing Baltimore County with a well-educated home-grown workforce.

Fast Facts

• The Baltimore metropolitan area is home to 25 major colleges and universities, educating 139,000 students each year. 
• 34.8 percent of Baltimore County residents over the age of 25 hold bachelors degrees or higher. The national average is 27.9 percent.
• 89.2 percent of Baltimore County residents have high school diplomas or higher.
• Baltimore County alone awards approximately 7,500 degrees each year.
• In the Baltimore-Washington metro region there are approximately 65 accredited institutions of higher learning — many among the best in the nation.
  

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey 2008-2010 Three-Year Estimates.

See detailed demographics
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey 2008-2010 Three-Year Estimates.

Public Schools

Baltimore County boasts an excellent secondary school system. Over 7,400 students graduate each year from our public schools with an outstanding education.  85 percent of graduates immediately pursue higher education. There are 104,331 total students and over 17,000 staff, including 8,850 classroom teachers, that enable our schools to produce results. The 103 elementary, 27 middle, 24 high, 1 middle/high, and 4 special education schools in our County make the Baltimore County Public School system one of the largest 26 in the United States.  Baltimore County also offers unique and successful magnet school programs in which students are given the opportunity to focus on courses of study in which they are truly interested.  Students in 47 magnet programs study Finance, International Studies, Career & Technology, Law & Public Policy, Literary Arts, Math, Science & Computer Science, Pre-Engineering and Environmental Science.

Student Achievement

Average $12,236 per pupil spent annually for instructional costs, student services, transportation, operation and administrative expenses.  The system is making significant investments in its learning environments.  Baltimore County Public Schools have been engaged in the largest school renovation and major maintenance program in the County’s history. The five-year, half billion dollar  program is bringing physical improvements to nearly every one of the County’s 169 public schools.

• Newsweek magazine in June 2010, recognized twelve Baltimore County high schools as among the top 6 percent nationwide. Two schools were also recognized as among the nation's best by U.S. News & World Report in December 2008.
  
• 140 of 163 BCPS schools made Adequate Yearly Progress according to the Maryland State Department of Education.
  
• Advanced Placement (AP) participation has continued to increase from 10.2 percent in 2004-2005 to 14.2 percent in 2008-2009, the highest level in five years. During this period of dramatic increase in participation, pass rates remained above the College Board’s global pass rate of 58.9percent.
• For the class of 2009, 62.5 percent of BCPS high schools met or exceeded the national Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) participation rate as compared with 56.5  percent for the class of 2005, an increase of 6.0 percentage points. In 2008-2009, the SAT combined scores increased by 11.0 points from the previous year.
• Maryland School Assessment (MSA) scores in elementary reading and mathematics have risen to their highest levels in five years.
  

Source: Baltimore County Public School website; Maryland State Dept. of Education.2009-2010 Fact Book

Private Schools

Private schools are an option for an alternate secondary education in Baltimore County. 35,282 students attend various private schools.  199 private schools range from religious to alternative, providing a wide range of options.  In 2007, 2,035 students graduated in Baltimore County.

Source: Maryland State Dept. of Education: Nonpublic School Enrollment 9.30.07

Contacts

Baltimore County Public Schools – 410-887-4554
Association of Maryland Independent Schools - 410-761-3700
The Archdiocese of Baltimore: Catholic Schools - 410-547-5391
Baltimore County Public Library - 410-887-6100
Maryland Business Roundtable for Education – 410-727-0448

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Revised December 5, 2011

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