Not one student tested proficient in math among 23 Baltimore schools

Simply throwing money at the problem has proven once again to be a failure as concerned parents reacted to a report that more than 20 Baltimore schools had no students proficient in math, prompting calls for action and lawsuits.

(Video: Fox News)

Recent test results analyzed by Project Baltimore, an investigative team from Fox 45, found that out of 2,000 students participating in a state math test from 23 different schools, not a single one was capable of doing math at their grade level. The students represented 10 high schools, three middle/high schools, two middle/elementary schools, and eight elementary schools.

Speaking with Fox News host Dana Perino, mother Davida Allen commented on the Baltimore Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises bringing in $444,875 annually and said, “I think that when we look at our CEO, and we’re seeing how much money she’s making, we’re still seeing that our students are not thriving, you’re starting to question where the funds are being allocated.”

“Where are things going wrong? How come there’s not enough early intervention?” she went on.

Similarly, Jovani Patterson, who filed a lawsuit against Baltimore City Schools in January 2022 for misuse of funds in educating students, told Fox 45, “We’re not living up to our potential.”

“We, the taxpayer, are funding our own demise,” he went on and said, “My immediate reaction is, take your kids out of these schools.”

Expanding out from the 23 schools listed, Project Baltimore’s analysis of 150 city schools determined that only seven percent of third through eighth graders were proficient in math, showing how the problem reached beyond a few specific schools.

“It sounds like these schools, now, have turned into essentially babysitters with no accountability,” Patterson told Fox. “This is the future of our city. We’ve got to change this.”

Allen echoed that sentiment as she spoke with Perino and noted, “And when you see other counties thriving, why is it that counties such as Montgomery County, Howard County, those counties are able to thrive, but why is Baltimore City systematically failing continuously year over year?”

Meanwhile, Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) bragged during his recent State of the State address that “We made the largest investment in public education by any governor in our state’s history.”

He went on to say throughout the address, “The state just needs to strategically use its assets and resources to unlock its potential…That starts with education…We can no longer separate our vision for economic prosperity from the duty to make Maryland’s public schools the best in the nation…These two things are inextricably linked.”

In response to voiced concerns, City Schools provided Project Baltimore with a statement on the steps they intend to take to improve proficiencies that included summer school, longer days and professional development for teachers as they pointed blame to COVID adding, “We’re confident these instructional strategies will help us regain the momentum and progress we experienced before the pandemic.”

Along with voicing concerns about removing her first-grader from a government-run school, Allen recounted how she had urged her older son’s high school to hold him back a grade because he wasn’t doing the necessary work and would only suffer further educationally were he advanced. “So I actually had requested for him to be held back, and the response I got was that, socially, they were concerned about the ramifications.”

“I said, ‘Yeah, but you’re promoting him, and he hasn’t done the work. He doesn’t deserve it.’ I don’t even understand how he was able to graduate high school, to be honest,” the mother said.

Kevin Haggerty

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles