Harford County schools post gains on Maryland report card; 68.5% of schools earned 4 or 5 stars

Harford County Public Schools officials presented the state’s 2023–24 Maryland Report Card results to the Board of Education on March 10. District leaders summarized academic and nonacademic measures used by the state accountability model and displayed comparative data with peer counties.

Key takeaways: Harford County earned increases on several metrics and posted a higher share of 4‑ and 5‑star schools in 2024 (68.5 percent) than in 2023 (59 percent). Ten schools improved their star ratings this year, including several that moved from 3 to 4 stars and a subset that rose from 4 to 5 stars. The district’s overall points are driven by academic measures (65 percent of the model) including MCAP performance and graduation, and nonacademic measures (35 percent) such as chronic absenteeism, student and educator climate surveys, and access to a well‑rounded curriculum.

Presenters emphasized that academic progress measures (growth) are calculated at the elementary and middle levels and that high school measures rely on on‑track indicators, graduation rates, and postsecondary readiness metrics (AP/IB participation, CTE concentrators, dual enrollment, SAT benchmarks). Staff noted graduation rates were 90.8 percent for the reported class and an initial higher 4‑year rate of 91.6 percent for the class of 2024, reported to the board after the official report.

Chronic absenteeism remains a focus. Staff acknowledged year‑to‑year calculation differences tied to pandemic disruptions but said the district is making measurable progress and is working with schools on interventions. The accountability results are used in school performance planning and staff highlighted programs and school‑level strategies that contributed to gains, including targeted interventions and community engagement to reduce absenteeism.

Board members asked about lessons learned from high‑performing schools and about data‑reporting anomalies (particularly access to a well‑rounded curriculum and certain CTE/dual‑enrollment flags). Staff said they are working with the state to improve error‑correction reporting and will continue to provide dashboards and disaggregated school‑level analyses to support school improvement plans.

The presentation highlighted schools that achieved 5 stars and those that improved; the board celebrated the gains and asked staff to continue sharing successful strategies across the district.