Baltimore City Schools reports largest kindergarten-readiness gain in nine years; pre-K students show strongest gains

Baltimore City Public Schools reported on Feb. 11 that kindergarten-readiness rates rose significantly this year, with the strongest gains among children who attended City Schools pre-K programs.

Executive Director Crystal Francis and Chief Academic Officer Joan Dabrowski presented kindergarten readiness assessment (KRA) findings to the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners and said the district saw its highest overall rate in nine years. City Schools administered its own KRA this school year after the State of Maryland did not run the assessment statewide.

Key results presented by the district: - Students who attended City Schools non-duty-center pre-K programs: 53.4% demonstrating readiness. - Students who attended any City Schools pre-K program: 52% demonstrating readiness. - All City Schools kindergarten students (including children from home, childcare and Head Start): 45% readiness. - Change from last year (district-reported): roughly +6 percentage points among all kindergarten students; the district reported a 22 percentage-point increase for students who attended City Schools pre-K since immediately after the pandemic.

District leaders said targeted changes are driving gains.…