Combined public and nonpublic school enrollment (pre-kindergarten to grade 12) in the region totaled 480,455 in 2004, which equals 46 percent of all Maryland students. Baltimore City, the historic leader in school enrollment during the pre-1990’s, was supplanted by Baltimore County in 1995.

Public and nonpublic enrollment in 2004 was down 6 percent (29,400 students) from 1975, the year that produced the highest recorded enrollment from 1975 to 2004. From 1975 going forward enrollment decreased steadily. From 1985 to 1989 it reached a plateau and then gradually increased each year from 1990 to 2002. From 2002 to 2004, enrollments declined again.

Nonpublic school, pre-kindergarten to grade 12, enrollments in the region totaled 93,100 in 2004. This total represents 50 percent of all nonpublic students and 9 percent of all public and nonpublic students in Maryland. From 1980 to 2004 Baltimore County led the region in nonpublic school enrollment. Baltimore City was firmly in second place up to 2000.

From 2000 to 2004, Anne Arundel County enrollments increased to practically equal those in Baltimore City. This shift was a result of the combination of rising enrollments in Anne Arundel County and falling enrollments in Baltimore City. While nonpublic school enrollment in the region increased by about 10 percent during the ten-year span from 1995 to 2004, enrollments grew at much higher rate in Anne Arundel (28 percent), Carroll (70 percent), Harford (28 percent) and Howard (19 percent) counties.

Public school enrollment in the region totaled 387,400 in 2004. This total represents 45 percent of all public school students and 37 percent of all public and nonpublic school students in Maryland. Baltimore City, the region’s historic leader in public school enrollment, lost the title to neighboring Baltimore County in 1999.

Public school enrollment in 2004 was down 12 percent (54,100 students) from 1975, the year that produced the highest recorded enrollment from 1975 to 2004. From 1975 going forward public school enrollment decreased steadily. From 1985 to 1988 it reached a plateau and then gradually increased each year from 1989 to 2002. From 2002 to 2004, enrollments declined.

From 1995 to 2004, public school enrollment in the region remained relatively flat, increasing by less than 5,000 students (1 percent) in a ten-year period. Within the region, Baltimore City and Howard County experienced the most significant change. Enrollments fell in Baltimore City by 21,600 students (20 percent). Howard County added 10,700 students (29 percent).

For the 2004 school year, each jurisdiction in the region reported favorably for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), the accountability measure designed to fulfill the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. In the areas of reading, mathematics and graduation all standards were met. Only Baltimore City Schools failed to meet attendance standards.

For high school assessment in 2004, over 50 percent of students in each school system in the region, except Baltimore City, passed English 1, Biology, Government and Algebra. Government is the only subject in Baltimore City schools that at least 50 percent of students passed; the passing rate for the remaining subjects was 36 percent of the students or below.

The state graduation rate was about 5 percent higher (84.29 percent) in 2004 than in 1996. Howard and Carroll counties scored the highest graduation rates among jurisdictions in the region, 93.14 percent and 92.51 percent respectively. Baltimore City improved but finished last with 54.30 percent.

When comparing 1998 and 2004 dropout rates by race, all jurisdictions in the region reported fluctuating percentages. These sporadically changing figures may result from migration patterns.

In 2004, African Americans residing in Baltimore City had the highest dropout rate (12.06 percent) – 2.0-percentage-points above the 1998 mark. From 1998 to 2004, the dropout rate for Whites residing in the City decreased by 3.5-percentage points.

In 1990, over 70,000 Baltimore City residents, 14.8 percent of the total population over 25 years of age had less than a 9th grade education. By 2003, the number took a significant 60.1 percent drop, falling to 28,011 residents (9.4 percent). In contrast, 48 percent of Howard County residents had a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2003.

For the region, current expenses for public schools totaled $2.9 billion in the fiscal year (FY) ending June 2001. This figure represented 47 percent of current expenses for all 24 Maryland school districts combined. Baltimore City at $850 million and Baltimore County at $817 million were the highest among jurisdictions in the region. The Carroll County total of $184 million was the lowest.

From FY 1990 to FY 2000, current expenses for public schools in the region rose 77.2 percent. Jurisdictions experiencing the greatest percentage increases were Howard (102.6 percent), Carroll (96.6 percent) and Harford Counties (95.8 percent). Anne Arundel County experienced the lowest (64 percent).

In FY 2001, per pupil expenses in the region averaged $7,447. Highest among the jurisdictions were Baltimore City ($8,551) and Howard County ($8,202). Harford County was the lowest ($6,772). From FY 1990 to FY 2000, per pupil expenses grew by 12.1 percent. By comparison, the statewide average increased by 3.8 percent, while nationwide expenses rose by 13.3 percent.

During this period, per pupil expenses in Baltimore City experienced the largest rate of growth within the region (31.0 percent). However, in 2000 dollars, per pupil expenses fell in Baltimore and Howard Counties.

The median sales price of existing single-family homes grew steadily from 1995 to 2003. During this 9-year period, the national median price of housing increased by 25 percent. The median price of housing in the region jumped 55 percent.

In 2004, the total enrollment at colleges and universities in the region reached 153,550, up 11.2 percent from 1994. Enrollment maintained a gradual and steady increase from 1996 to 2004. Enrollment at two-year colleges reached 54,640 in 1994, dropped to a low of 48,573 in 2000 and then rose to an all-time high of 56,865 in 2004. From 1995 to 2004, four-year public university enrollment gradually increased each year, dipping slightly in 1996 and again in 2003.

The University of Maryland system enrolled 44,041 students from the region in 2004, 29 percent of all college students in the region. Enrollment in independent institutions rose 20.7 percent from 1994 to 2004. Johns Hopkins University led all independent institutions in the region with 18,659 students.