Maryland reports 87.6% high school graduation rate in 2024, highest since 2017
The 2024 graduation rate for Maryland high schools reached 87.6% in 2024, the highest level since 2017, according to the state Department of Education (MSDE).
The 2024 graduation rate was 1.8 percentage points higher than in the 2022-23 school year. Hispanic students and multilingual learners saw the largest increase among student groups.
Anne Arundel County graduation rate
In Anne Arundel County, the 2024 graduation rate rose by almost one percentage point, compared to 2023, according to data from MSDE.
For students with disabilities, the graduation rate rose by 6.79 percentage points, the largest increase of any student group in the county.
Graduation rates for multilingual learners increased by 4.94 percentage points, and by 2.52 percentage points for African American students. Among Hispanic students, an increase of 2.41 percentage points was reported.
District officials said the increases for African American and Hispanic students narrowed the gaps between the two groups.
In 2024, the district's overall high school graduation rate was 88.54%, almost one percentage point above the state's average.
Anne Arundel County Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell cited the district's Project Graduation and other efforts to help students as part of the reason for the increase.
"This data is evidence that the work we have put into efforts like Project Graduation and our intense focus on helping every single student get what they need to Belong, Grow, and Succeed are paying off," Dr. Bedell said.
The district launched Project Graduation in 2022 to provide credit recovery options for students, allowing more opportunities for second-chance learning.
The initiative is available for students in grades 9 through 12 and enlists counselors, teachers and leadership teams to assess and provide support as students progress toward graduation.
Frederick and Harford County graduation rates
Frederick County's 2024 graduation rate increased by more than one percentage point, reaching 94.3%.
The district's graduation rate was almost seven percentage points above the state's overall graduation rate. The district was ranked first among other districts with more than 300,000 students.
Graduation rates in Frederick County high schools also increased among several student groups, including Hispanic students, multilingual learners and those with disabilities.
The high school dropout rate also declined by more than one percentage point to 2.2% in 2024, one of the lowest in the state.
Harford County high schools recorded a 2024 graduation rate of 91.6%, the highest the district has recorded since 2011, officials said. In 2023, the graduation rate was 90.8%
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