41% of Baltimore High School Students Achieve Below 1.0 GPA

BALTIMORE — A concerning trend has emerged in Baltimore City Schools, where nearly half of high school students have recorded a grade point average (GPA) below 1.0 during the first three quarters of the academic year. This statistic, uncovered by Project Baltimore, indicates that approximately 41% of the city's 20,500 public high school students are performing below a D average.

City Council President Jovani Patterson, who previously campaigned on the need for accountability in education, expressed his dismay upon learning about the academic struggles faced by students. "This is terrible," Patterson stated, emphasizing the potential long-term consequences for students facing such academic challenges.

A chart provided by Baltimore City Schools details the average GPA across all high school grades, highlighting a stark reality: while 21% of students achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher, the number of those failing is alarmingly disproportionate.

The district has also seen a decline in enrollment, losing 706 high school students during the same period. This decline follows the announcement from City Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises in January, which revealed a significant increase in course failure rates linked to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to these challenges, City Schools has committed to offering various opportunities for students to recover from learning loss. Starting this summer, the district plans to assess each student's progress and develop personalized action plans to address unfinished learning.

Despite the gravity of the situation, City Schools declined to offer further comment beyond a statement acknowledging the impact of the pandemic on student performance. Meanwhile, Patterson criticized the lack of urgency from local leaders, highlighting the need for raised academic standards and greater accountability.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WBFF (source).