BCPS Graduation Rate Rises While Maryland's Rate Declines

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate for Baltimore County Public Schools has improved from 87.6 percent for the class of 2019 to 88.5 percent for the class of 2020, according to data released by the Maryland State Department of Education. The statewide graduation rate decreased from 86.86 percent in 2019 to 86.75 percent in 2020.

The BCPS four-year cohort dropout rate decreased from 8.8 percent in 2019 to 8.3 percent in 2020. At the state level, dropout rates decreased from 8.42 percent in 2019 to 8.25 percent in 2020.

“I celebrate every one of our schools – from the earliest grades up through high school – for their dedicated efforts to increase our graduation rate. I also congratulate the historic Class of 2020 for their hard work to achieve this important milestone during a pandemic," BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams said in a news release.

BCPS will begin the next phase of its reopening plan March 1. The school system has planned for a hybrid system although families have the option of continuing virtual learning. Students whose families opt for hybrid learning will be assigned to one cahort based on their address:

• Cohort A students will report for in-person instruction Monday and Tuesday.
• Cohort B students will come to school Thursday and Friday.
• On the other three days, students in Cohorts A and B will continue virtual learning.
• Cohort C: Students whose families chose to continue fully virtual learning or who did not respond to the questionnaire will be assigned to this cohort.

Wednesday will be a day of independent, or asynchronous, virtual instruction for all students, with scheduled small groups, according to the plan.

The week of March 1 (Phases I and II):

• Phase I: Students in public separate day schools (Battle Monument, Maiden Choice, Ridge Ruxton, and White Oak schools) will return.
• Phase II: Students in preschool to second grade will return, including students in 3-year-old programs; 4-year-old programs; prekindergarten; kindergarten; grades 1 and 2; and grade 3 students in grades 2/3 class in a special education regional program.

The week of March 15 (Phase III):

• Students in Grades 3-12 whose individualized education program includes a least restrictive environment primarily outside the general education classroom setting will return.
  • Communication and Learning Support (CLS)
  • Functional Academic Learning Support (FALS)
  • Learning Support for Students who are Deaf and Hard-of Hearing (DHH)
  • Social Emotional Learning Support (SEL)
  • Social Communication Learning Support (SCLS)

• Students in select Career and Technical Education programs that require hands-on learning experiences (schools will contact families)
  • Academy of Health Professions
  • Apprenticeship Maryland
  • Automotive Service Technology
  • Aviation Technology
• Baking and Pastry Arts (ACF)
• Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Building and Construction Trades
• Construction Design and Management
• Cosmetology Careers
• Culinary Arts (American Culinary Federation – ACF)
• Diesel Truck and Power Systems Technology
• Engineering Careers
• Food and Beverage Management (ProStart)
• Graphic/Print Communications Technology
• Information Technology: Networking
• Interactive Media Production
• Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)
• Project Lead The Way: Biomedical Sciences
• Project Lead The Way: Engineering

The week of March 22 (partial Phase IV):

• Remaining students in grades 6 and 9

The week of April 6 (remaining students in Phase IV) :

• Remaining students in grades 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12

Employee Return Timeline

Most employees will return to schools and offices Feb. 16, except for the following cases:

• Elementary Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO) 10-month staff will return Feb. 22.
• Secondary TABCO 10-month staff will return March 8.
• Elementary Education Support Professionals of Baltimore County (ESPBC) 10-month staff will return Feb. 22.
• Secondary ESPBC 10-month staff will return March 8.
• Staff will have the option to work remotely on Wednesdays during asynchronous learning.

Patch Editor Elizabeth Janney contributed to this article.