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Maryland school board won’t increase passing test scores
ANNAPOLIS — Maryland’s state school board voted Tuesday to keep current graduation requirements in place for incoming high school students, reversing previous plans to raise the required scores on standardized tests.
The board’s decision came after a study linked success in college classes with students who earned at least a three out of five on statewide standardized exams in English and algebra, the Baltimore Sun reported. The board was considering raising the passing score to four. Students must pass the exams to receive a diploma.
Scores of four and five used to be considered passing, but after the state saw a high fail rate, they lowered the passing score to three and planned to increase it by the time the class of 2024 entered ninth grade in fall 2020.
But at the meeting Tuesday, the majority of state school board members said the data showed the state didn’t need to increase the requirements to ensure students were college ready, the newspaper said.
