Maryland Graduation Rates Hits Record High while Frederick County Exceeds Graduation Standards

More Maryland students are receiving their high school diplomas than ever before, according to data released yesterday by the Maryland State Department of Education. As the graduation rate has hit record levels, the dropout rate has also fallen to new lows for the state.

The four-year cohort graduation rate for the state of Maryland reached an all-time high of 86.4% in 2014 while Frederick County's graduation rate was 92.6%. Frederick County's high school graduation rates have remained above 90% over the last five years. Frederick County's drop-out rate for 2014 was 3.91% which is also significantly lower than the state's drop-out rate of 8.35%.

The complete Maryland Report Card can be found at www.mdreportcard.org.

Maryland and Frederick County are Leading the Way in a STEM workforce

Maryland is leading the nation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and Frederick County Public School's advancements in STEM training are preparing a workforce of the future.

Dr. Daraius Irani, Executive Director of the Regional Economic Studies Institute, spoke about the importance of STEM training and jobs during the annual Economic Outlook Conference at Towson University yesterday.  He stated that Maryland ranks first in the nation in STEM job concentration, 42 percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded in Maryland from 2012-2013 were in STEM fields, and 47 percent of job openings in the State require STEM skills.

Dr. Irani attributed the State’s achievements in STEM to an increase in quality educational programs. ”There has been a real purposeful effort by State schools to introduce students to STEM. That makes a difference,” he said. There are seven STEM Standards of Practice set by the state: 1) Learn and Apply Rigorous Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Content, 2) Integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Content, 3) Interpret and Communicate STEM Information, 4) Engage in Inquiry, 5) Engage in Logical Reasoning, 6) Collaborate as a STEM Team, and 7) Apply Technology Strategically.

The Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) vision is that students will graduate STEM proficient and be prepared for post-secondary study and the 21st Century workforce. As a result, the STEM office of FCPS has programs designed for the elementary, middle and high school levels. During the school day, students engage in the seven STEM Practices as part of their ongoing classroom instruction. 

Outside of FCPS, the C.Burr Artz Library is home to the STEM Lab to meet the needs of area students and to support the goals of local and statewide education initiatives and the library hosts a series of monthly STEM educational classes for all ages.

FCPS reported that 99% of nearly 900 employers surveyed in 2014 indicated that FCPS students met or exceeded job requirements at their place of business, indicating that FCPS are preparing a strong workforce of the future.

Maryland to lead CyberSecurity and FCC Offers New CyberSecurity Degree Program

Last week wrapped up Maryland's 2014 CyberSecurity Conference which drew hundreds of professionals, students and public servants to the 2014 CyberMaryland Conference which spotlighted Maryland as the nation’s epicenter for cybersecurity.

“If we invest and if we connect and if we appreciate the tremendous opportunities out there in this new world, Maryland will lead the way,” said Governor Martin O’Malley during his keynote address during last week’s two-day conference.

More venture funds are deployed for cybersecurity companies in Maryland than in any other state. Maryland awards over $1,000,000 per year in start-up funding for cyber innovation businesses. More than 15 Cyber Incubators exist in Maryland offering start-up support for innovation. The cybersecurity and STEM workforce of today and the future is here in Maryland.

On October 3, Frederick Community College was awarded $731,000 for a new cybersecurity degree training grant to create a cybersecurity degree program in partnership with other Maryland community colleges.

With the grant, Frederick Community College will develop a cybersecurity degree program and enhance its offerings in Information Technology – with an emphasis on providing high-end training, internships and IT jobs to Marylanders including veterans and their families, low-skilled workers, and underrepresented groups. The program will lead to cyber-related careers including Computer Repair Technician, Computer Network Support Specialist, Computer User Support Specialist, and Information Security Analyst.

“This grant will enable FCC to provide our students with new, world-class credentials in cybersecurity,” said David Croghan, FCC’s Interim Vice President for Learning. “Our new program will allow students to earn industry credentials, and pursue a college degree that meets National Security Agency content standards. We are excited to participate in this initiative because it will accelerate the good work that is already underway at FCC.”

Students will receive specialized academic and career planning and job search support. Many employers in Frederick County have already committed to offering students internships. The four-year program is slated to begin in fall 2015.

For more information about the program, please contact Dr. Andy Yao, ayao@frederick.edu or 301.846.2410.

Maryland is #1 again!

This week, we received the great news that Maryland's public schools were named #1 in the country for the fourth year in a row by Education Week Magazine. Thank you to our Frederick County Public Schools students, parents and educators for being a part of this extraordinary effort!..

County among State's Highest Graduation Rates, Lowest Dropout Rates

According to data released by the Maryland Dept. of Education yesterday, Frederick County's graduation rate for 2010 was 94.56% well above the state average and the national average of 69 percent. The County ranked second among the Counties in the State of Maryland for highest graduation rate.

Frederick County Public Schools also had the 2nd lowest dropout rate in the State for grades 9-12 (1.18%).

Earlier this year, Newsweek Magazine listed all 9 County high schools among the "Top High Schools in America" and in January, the Maryland Public School System received a #1 ranking in overall quality for the second year in a row by Education Week.

Click below to read the full story in today's edition of the Frederick News Post.
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=110862

OED, Chamber Win Award

The Frederick County Office of Economic Development and Frederick County Chamber of Commerce received an Honorable Mention for Excellence in Economic Development for their Frederick County Business Roundtable for Education in the category of New Media for communities with populations of 200,000 – 500,000 from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, September 28 during the IEDC Annual Conference, September 26-29 in Columbus, Ohio.

“We recognize the Frederick County Office of Economic Development and Frederick County Chamber of Commerce for providing successful strategies to promote new paradigms in economic development in this period of global recovery,” said William Best, IEDC chair. “Our awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in communities. The Frederick County Office of Economic Development and Frederick County Chamber of Commerce is showing that they are at the forefront of the economic development profession and are using innovative and effective practices that can be replicated in other communities."

The Frederick County Business Roundtable for Education (FCBRE) was developed by the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce, Frederick County Office of Economic Development, Frederick County Public Schools, Fort Detrick, and Frederick Community College to address the current and future workforce need in the Frederick County business community. FCBRE connects classroom learning and the workplace, and promotes academic excellence. This nonprofit partnership supports educational initiatives within the school system and addresses workforce needs in the business community. The goal is to help prepare the next generation of business leadership in the community and educate future leaders on the opportunities in Frederick County to live here and work here. Currently FCBRE holds an annual career exploration conference for high school sophomores, titled Future Link. FCBRE also provides both internship and externship programs with teachers and students in the Frederick County Public Schools. The student internship program is designed to provide ideas, perspective, and real-world learning opportunities to prepare students for the future. The teacher externship program is designed to provide teachers the opportunity to work in a business and connect the curriculum from the classroom to the application of the concepts used in the business.

The Excellence in Economic Awards Program annually recognizes the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. The program honors organizations and individuals in 28 categories for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities.

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is the premier membership organization dedicated to helping economic development professionals create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. Serving more than 4,500 members, IEDC represents the largest network of economic development professionals in the world. IEDC provides a diverse range of services, including conferences, certification, professional development, publications, research, advisory services and legislative tracking.

Future Link Conference

The 2010 Future Link conference at Frederick Community College is underway today. The event, sponsored by the Frederick County Business Roundtable for Education, will address local work-force needs and collaborative efforts to ensure an adequately trained labor force is established to meet growing demands in the community.

Maryland Schools Number One for a Second Year!

Education Week Magazine certified Maryland public schools as number one in the nation for the second year in a row.

The newspaper put Maryland at the top of the list, with the nation's only B+ average. The study looked at data in six critical categories over the last two years, including student performance, state accountability and teacher effectiveness.

New York and Massachusetts followed Maryland in the rankings with B grades. According to the report, most states received grades of C or less.Visit Education Week’s web site for the full report.