Absence
The COVID Mirage: Maryland's 2021 Low Rate Was Virtual Instruction, Not Recovery
When Maryland students logged into Zoom, chronic absenteeism appeared to drop. When they returned to classrooms, it spiked 12.6 points in a single year.
Maryland
Education News & Data
Local education reporting from every corner of Maryland, grounded in Maryland Department of Education data.
Nicole Miller Leads Garrett County Schools With a Focus on Keeping the Students It Has
Dr. Nicole Miller, promoted from chief academic officer, became Garrett County's superintendent on July 1. The state's 2025-26 data show where the district's enrollment losses come from.
Maryland's Absenteeism Rate Fell Again. The Last Step Was Half as Large.
Maryland's chronic absenteeism rate fell to 25.2% in 2024-25, but the latest 1.5-point improvement was less than half the prior year's gain.
Bill Heiser Returns to Baltimore County as Enrollment Planning Enters a New Phase
William Heiser returns to lead Baltimore County as K-12 enrollment reaches an available-record low and grade bands point to uneven planning pressures.
Frederick and Howard Are Maryland's Attendance Leaders. They Still Haven't Hit the State Target.
Maryland's two lowest-absence counties, at 16.8% and 17.3%, remain above the state's own 15% goal. Even the best is not good enough.
More Coverage
Equity
The 31.9-Point Gap: Maryland's Attendance Divide Spans 60 Miles
From Frederick's 16.8% to Baltimore City's 48.7%, chronic absenteeism tracks poverty and geography more than any policy variable.
District Spotlight
Nearly Half of Baltimore City Students Are Chronically Absent
Baltimore City's 48.7% chronic absenteeism rate is 22.0 points above the state average and nearly three times Frederick County's rate.
Grade Shift
Maryland's High School Safety Net Just Broke
High school enrollment fell for the first time in a decade, joining K-8 in decline. The pipeline that sustained Maryland's secondary schools has run dry.
District Spotlight
Garrett County Has Not Grown in 7 Years
Maryland's westernmost district has lost students every year since 2020, the longest active decline streak in the state, with no grade level spared.
Grade Shift
Maryland's 9th Grade Bottleneck
Every year, thousands more students enroll in Maryland's 9th grade than left 8th grade. The gap peaked at 13,775 during COVID and remains above 9,000.
Demographics
Maryland's Kindergarten Classes Keep Shrinking
Maryland kindergarten enrollment has fallen 8.8% in a decade, with 20 of 24 districts below pre-COVID levels and no recovery in sight.
Enrollment
One District Growing: Maryland's 12-District Reversal
Twelve Maryland districts that gained students last year reversed to losses in 2025-26, leaving Kent County as the state's sole gainer.
District Spotlight
Baltimore County's Six-Year Slide Reaches a New Floor
Baltimore County Public Schools fell to 104,031 students in 2025-26, its lowest on record. The 1,913-student drop was the steepest in five years.
Grade Shift
The COVID K Class Hits Third Grade
Grade 3 lost 2,470 students in 2025-26, more than any other grade. The pandemic's kindergarten disruption is now a rolling wave reshaping Maryland schools grade by grade.
District Spotlight
Frederick's Growth Streak Breaks After Four Years
Frederick County, Maryland's only large district consistently adding students, lost 123 in 2025-26, joining 22 other districts in decline.
