(CAMBRIDGE, Md) – The State of Maryland released their report cards for schools across the state this week.

And in Dorchester County, they’re seeing improvements across the board.

Vienna Elementary School Principal, Susie Price is all about helping her 4th grade students, and it may not seem out of the ordinary. But it’s efforts like those that are helping boost Dorchester County Public Schools standing on the state report card.

“There can’t be one area that we do not concentrate on. We have to we have to make sure we are on top of everything in every content area. And in terms of making sure our children are coming to school,” says Price.

The report cards are the state’s way of gauging how well schools are doing.
This year, schools in the county are at or nearing a three star approval rating, with Vienna Elementary at four stars.

Dr. Jodi Colman breaks down how the report cards are graded.

The DCPS Director of Curriculum tells WMDT, “That takes into consideration academic progress as well as attendance, climate within the buildings. It really rates this school in a total format, looking at all areas.”

And covering all of those bases helps with Dorchester Public Schools’ own initiative: the “23 No More” Campaign. Which is geared towards raising Dorchester’s ranking in the state from second to last.

“That means that students are showing academic progress. They are achieving at higher rates than what they had before. It also shows an improvement in our attendance rates and graduation. So we are pretty excited about some of the progress that we’re making,” says Dr. Colman.

Back at Vienna Elementary, Principal Price is making sure all of her students are gearing up to succeed.

She says, “Moving forward, we have to keep up the pace. We have to continue to involve our families. We have to work and teach the standards, high level expectations for all of our children.”

Several of Dorchester County’s schools missed out by less than ten points from ranking as four star schools.