Have you heard the news? Maryland schools aren’t so terrible these days.

As The Sun reports, more of the state’s elementary and middle schools are meeting federal standards. The number of schools targeted for improvement due to low test scores declined this year from 176 to 169.

This is the first year the number of failing schools has decreased since the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted six years ago, according to the Washington Post.

Here’s an important part that’s being buried in a lot of the news reports. In the 13th paragraph of The Sun’s article comes this tidbit: “For the first time, the majority of Baltimore City elementary schools, or 82 of 153 schools, met the federal standards. Last year, only 65 made sufficient progress.”

To drive that home: this is the first time in six years that a majority of Baltimore City elementary schools don’t suck. But, its middle schools still do. All but two of the city’s 22 middle schools are on the list of those needing improvement, according to federal standards.

The two schools that met the standards are charter schools.

The fact that schools across the state are improving is a good thing. But, this is hardly good news. I’m definitely glad that serious efforts to improve the city’s schools are having a noticeable, positive impact. Whether it’s a blip or not, at least it’s a blip in a good direction.

But, why the drop in performance when city students go from elementary to middle schools? I’ll leave that one to you all to discuss. My opinion: that’s when negative influences really start taking their toll. Distractions mount. Pressure builds. And kids are old enough then to start getting in to trouble.

What lessons are there to learn in this report?

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