Md. Falls From Top Of School Rankings But Leads Mid-Atlantic

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A new report says Maryland fell two spots from leading the nation in school performance, though it's still ahead of the rest of the Mid-Atlantic region and most of the country.

Education Week's Quality Counts report ranked Maryland No. 3, down from its spot at No. 1 between 2009 and 2013. Massachusetts and New Jersey topped the list.

Citing state officials and Education Week, The Baltimore Sun reports that Maryland's downgrade is because of a change in the ranking criteria, not a performance dip.

The report gave Maryland a "B" score of 85.2, well above the national average of 74.3.

Virginia and Delaware also ranked above the national average, with scores of 78.7 and 76.7, respectively.

Washington, D.C., ranked behind 37 states, with 70 points. Mississippi ranks last.

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