Report: County students’ failing grades up

Number for elementaries at twice pre-pandemic rate

A new report from the Maryland State Board of Education shows Anne Arundel elementary schoolers had failing grades twice as often this year compared with the same before the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2019 to 2020 school year.

The grades reflect a statewide trend, according to a presentation from MSDE Office of Research Director Dara Zeehandelaar Shaw.

County school board President Melissa Ellis said the school system is still reviewing the information from the Maryland State Department of Education. Teachers and administrators are aware that some students are struggling because of COVID19 and virtual learning.

The report reinforces their need to focus on bringing as many students back to school buildings as possible, she said, while maintaining safety measures.

“It’s certainly no news or surprise that our students are not performing as well this year as last year,” the board member from Millersville said.

She said two of the biggest problem areas identified by the system have been middle school students and English-language learners, but there is concern for all groups.

According to state figures, the number of elementary school students failing math went from 445 across county schools for the second marking term in 2019-2020 to 1,131 in 2020-2021, a 154% increase. For English, 509 students were failing in 20192020 and this year 1,506 students are failing, nearly three times as many.

The change for middle and high school students was not as severe, but still showed at least a 29% increase in the number of students with failing grades across subjects.

The number of students with a failing grade in English or social studies increased by 62% for middle school students, with math increasing by 43% and science by 36%.

For high schoolers, the number of

students with failing grades in English rose 75%, in social studies 58%, in math 38% and in science 29%.

State officials said more than $700 million in funding is available to help make up for instruction which was interrupted by COVID-19. They also told the state board that a monitoring program will be set up to ensure school systems are taking steps to make up for instruction, and to watch where the money is going as students return to school buildings.

Board Vice President Dana Schallheim, Severna Park, said if they support the mental health needs of students as they return to buildings, she is hopeful academic improvement will follow.

Monday students from grades 7, 8, 10 and 11 returned to school buildings for hybrid learning. All grades in Anne Arundel public schools are now in hybrid learning, though the majority of students are still at home learning via remote classes.