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Education

[PreK-12] [Higher Education]

 

PreK-12

Education is an important aspect of city life.  More and more families are choosing to remain in the city to raise their children because they desire to be in a diverse, environmentally conscious, culture rich environment.  Below is information on both public and private school options.

Many Baltimore City Public Schools are unknown success stories including neighborhood and magnet schools, college preparatory programs as well as a new wave of public charter schools.

The school system now has a website to highlight great student-focused stories - Great Kids Up Close.

Johns Hopkins University's Baltimore Scholars Program even provides free tuition to graduates of Baltimore City Public Shools who are accepted into the university's undergraduate program!

The Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance, a volunteer group of parents and families who are all raising their children in the City, is a great resource for parents to connect with other parents.

Below you will find links to more information on public, private and independent schools all across the City.   

 

Baltimore City Public School Highlights at a Glance

Public schools in Baltimore are on the move. Baltimore City Schools is a system on the move. Read more below about its successes or check out the Schools’ website for additional details. To locate the Public Schools for your neighborhood, visit Baltimore City Public School System's school locator web page.

City Schools Now: A Time of Unprecedented Momentum

Student enrollment for 2008-09 was 82,266, an increase of 1,000 students over 2007-08, the first annual increase in four decades.

  • 41,369 students in Pre-K-5
  • 16,848 students in grades 6-8
  • 24,049 students in grades 9-12

2009-10 Schools and Programs: More than 200 choices

  • 56 elementary schools (Pre-K-5)
  • 70 elementary/middle schools (Pre-K-8)
  • 16 middle schools (grades 6-8)
  • 12 middle/high schools (grades 6-12)
  • 32 high schools (grades 9-12)
  • 5 special education schools
  • 10 alternative options programs
  • 27 charter schools (most in the State)
  • 11 Transformation Schools

Great Kids, Great Schools - A Message from Dr. Andrés Alonso, Schools CEO. 

Starting with the 2007-2008 school year, the Baltimore City School System has a new leader.  Read about Dr. Alonso's plans and vision for Baltimore City Public Schools.

The State’s 2009 school readiness report shows 65% of kindergarteners started school prepared to meet kindergarten expectations in 2008-09, a 145% increase in five years hailed by the State as “remarkable progress.”

In 2008-09:

  • City Schools’ 1st and 2nd grade students exceeded or met the national average in math and reading on the Stanford 10 achievement test.
  • City Schools opened Baltimore City’s first public (tuition-free) Montessori school, serving Pre-K-6.
  • More than half (81) of City Schools’ elementary, K-8 and middle schools, 75% or more students met or exceeded state standards in reading.
  • The number of Advanced Placement courses offered in high schools increased by nearly 30% and enrollment in courses jumped 21%.
  • The SAT was taken by 79% of City Schools’ graduating seniors, compared to 69% of Maryland graduates and 46% nationally.
  • Great Kids, Great Schools - A Message from Dr. Andrés Alonso, Schools CEO. Starting with the 2007-2008 school year, the Baltimore City School System has a new leader. Read about Dr. Alonso's plans and vision for Baltimore City Public Schools.

Did You Know …

  • Six Baltimore City public schools are National Blue Ribbon Schools: Baltimore City College High School, Baltimore School for the Arts, Western High School, and Cecil, George Washington and Patapsco elementary schools.
  • Five high schools made U.S. News & World Report’s 2008 annual America’s Best High Schools list: Baltimore City College, Baltimore Freedom Academy, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and Western High School.
  • Through its Baltimore Scholars program, Johns Hopkins University offers free tuition to City Schools’ graduates who meet the university’s undergraduate admissions criteria.
  • City Schools’ high school students received more than $58 million in financial awards in 2008-09 for post-secondary education.
  • City Schools’ chess, debate and robotics teams hold numerous state and regional championship titles.
  • City Schools has 11 new Transformation Schools. They serve grades 6-12 in a combined middle-high schools setting with a distinct theme and strong college and/or career prep focus, including: three schools with a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focus, two schools with a social justice focus and an all girls’ leadership academy.
  • Through its Ingenuity Project, City Schools offers a rigorous STEM program to middle school students at Hamilton, Mt. Royal and Roland Park elementary/middle schools. The program continues at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute High School.
  • Many elementary schools are zoned geographically, but are increasingly becoming schools of choice. All high schools are choice schools and all middle schools are becoming schools of choice in 2010-2011. This means students can apply to attend any school in the City regardless of their home address; some schools do have admission criteria. All charter schools and Transformation Schools have lotteries for admission.

Find the School in Your Neighborhood:

  • To locate the Public Schools for your neighborhood, visit Baltimore City Public School System's school locator web page. Be aware that the City has a choice system so you can attend schools near your home or across town! 
  • Maryland Department of Planning's Maryland Public Schools Interactive Map.
  • Maryland Report Card lists the Maryland State Department of Education's assessment and annual yearly progress information.
  • Research and compare test scores and read comments from parents about Baltimore City Public Schools on Great Schools

Public Education (PreK-12)

Private Education (K-12)

Baltimore also has a lot of choice when it comes to private school options.  Whether you are looking for religiously-based education for your child or a non-secular option, single sex or co-ed, the City is home to fine institutions at all grade levels. 

Educational Organizations

Our neighborhood profiles section highlights schools available in each neighborhood.  If you have other City-based schools or education sites that are not on this list, please email their name and website link.

 

Higher Education

Baltimore offers a wealth of opportunities when it comes to higher education at both the undergraduate, graduate and technical education levels.  The seventeen colleges and universities within or near the City enroll more than 120,000 students.  Through the Baltimore Collegetown Network, 16 area colleges cooperate and share resources, such as shuttle buses and libraries. Many of the colleges participate in a student exchange program. 


Baltimore truly is a college town.  Here are some highlights: 

These are the 11 colleges located within the city limits:

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