Baltimore City Schools Face Criticism Despite High Spending

Baltimore City Schools have seen a significant increase in funding in recent years, with the latest figures from the 2024 U.S. Census indicating an expenditure of $18,272 per student, ranking it 13th among the nation’s largest school districts. However, this financial commitment has not translated into improved academic outcomes, as evidenced by the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results.

Released in late January, the NAEP findings show that Baltimore City remains one of the lowest-performing districts among the 26 large school systems tested, consistently scoring near the bottom across all evaluated categories in math and reading.

Education expert Gerard Robinson, a professor at the University of Virginia and former Secretary of Education for the state, suggests that while funding is crucial, the allocation of resources is what truly matters. He noted, “You knew the scores weren't going to go up great, because you didn't do a lot of great things before then.”

Robinson emphasizes that despite the high per-student spending, much of the funding does not reach classrooms directly. Baltimore City Schools have the fifth highest administrative costs per student among large districts, which diverts funds away from educational resources.

Comparatively, districts like Albuquerque and Austin, which have similar student populations, spend significantly less—$12,964 and $12,492 per pupil, respectively—yet outperform Baltimore in all NAEP categories. Furthermore, top-performing districts such as Miami and Charlotte also manage to achieve better results while spending less per student than Baltimore, indicating that effective resource management may play a critical role in educational success.

Robinson argues that the issue extends beyond finances, calling it a “political will problem.” He questions whether there is sufficient motivation to address bureaucratic inefficiencies and prioritize innovative educational strategies that could better serve students in Baltimore.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WBFF (source).