Education Week ranked Maryland schools #1 nationwide in its annual report, Quality Counts.  The report grades state education programs by tracking key education indicators and grading the states on their policy efforts and outcomes.

Education Week’s rankings are an establish metric that has been produced for more than fifteen years.  The 2013 edition presents updated scores and new analyses that capture critical aspects of the broader education environment and the equitability of school funding.  Even as Education Week has continued to refine its measurements, Maryland has remained on top – ranking #1 for five years running. 

For the fifth year in a row, Maryland posts the nation’s highest overall grades.  Scoring 87.5 and earning a B+, Maryland finishes 3.4 points ahead of second-place Massachusetts, which is followed by New York and Virginia.

One addition to the report is an assessment of state policies related to transitions and alignment across stages of education.  Maryland received an A in this category, scoring 100% in early-childhood education, 90% in college readiness and 100% in economy & workforce.

Maryland also received particularly high marks for its standards, assessments, and accountability programs, and for creating a strong chance of success in providing beneficial outcomes for its students.

Maryland’s complete grading data is available from Education Week.