Baltimore, with a population of over half a million people, is the largest independent city in the United States. The city, located 60 km northeast of Washington D.C. It is home to numerous public statues and monuments compared to any other city in the nation. Baltimore is a diverse and multicultural community offering a blend of historic allure and urban vitality. From the vibrant and stunning Inner Harbor which consists of the National Aquarium, Fort McHenry, the American Visionary Art Museum and the Maryland Science Center, the city offers numerous cultural attractions including internationally acclaimed museums, the Baltimore Opera and Symphony Orchestra, the Hippodrome Theatre, among other music and sporting venues.
With a population of highly famous people in the history of U.S., including the likes of Francis Scott Key—writer of the Star-Spangled Banner, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tupac Shakur, W.E.B. Du Bois, Frank Zappa, Barry Levinson, Babe Ruth, and many more, the city boasts of its rich architectural history that dates back to more than two centuries ago. Moreover, the city comprises of numerous universities, primary schools, and secondary schools. Baltimore’s public schools are run by the Baltimore City Public Schools, which is the 4th largest school district in Maryland.
In Baltimore, children between the ages of 5 to 18 must be receiving an education. The school year for Baltimore schools usually begins in early September and ends in late June, with holiday breaks in between the terms or semesters. The education system used in Baltimore is similar to that used across Maryland and usually follows the structure of elementary school (Pre-K to 5th Grade), followed by middle school (6th to 8th Grades) and finally high school (Grades 9 through 12). However, children aged 3-4 years can attend early years’ education or preschool programs, although not mandatory.
Elementary education through high school is tuition-free in public schools for all children who have attained the compulsory school-going age. All the public schools follow the national curriculum set forth by the U.S. Secretary of Education as well as the Education Department of the State of Maryland. Generally, in elementary schools, students are taught necessary life skills such as problem-solving, working with others as well as introduced to simple math, reading, and comprehension through the Wits and Wisdom Kindergarten curriculum. The subject matters increase in complexity as the children progress to higher levels. For instance, children in the 2nd grade are introduced to the fundamentals of STEM and so on. In the upper levels, students get more involved in more complex mathematics, history, sciences, geography, and many more. High school programs in Baltimore schools equip students with skills that prepare them for college or a career, in addition to teaching them core subjects such as English, Math, social studies, sciences. Additionally, these schools allow students to earn extra credits in health, technology, physical education, art languages, among other specialized programs. Generally, high schools in Baltimore offer Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs which allow students to learn college-level content and earn college credit in various subjects.
Baltimore offers different kinds of schools that cater to all students, international and local, who seek the best educational institution. Schools in Baltimore are either public, private, or international schools. Below are descriptions of the various types of schools in the region:
Public schools are state-funded and tuition-free for all children within the compulsory school-going age. These schools structure and program vary to ensure that the needs of all students are met. All public schools are managed by the Baltimore Public City School, which determines the admissions policy and student placement. There are 172 public schools or city schools in Baltimore, including 1 pre-kindergarten school, 48 elementary schools, 73 elementary/middle schools, 6 middle schools, 11 middle/high schools, 25 high schools, 1 elementary/middle/high school and 7 programs according to Baltimore City Public schools’ organization as per the 2018-2019 school year. The different types of public schools in the region include:
Most elementary and middle public schools are neighborhood schools, which means students can only attend schools in specific attendance zones. Some of the schools providing elementary grades also offer middle school (grades 6 to 8) levels to accommodate students in the neighborhood schools until they are ready to join high school.
These schools do not limit attendance to zones, and hence, students from anywhere in the city can attend. City-wide schools are available for all grade levels from and vary in type, mostly in the following manner; middle and middle/high schools. Generally, students from 5th grade will have to apply to their city-wide school of preference and all the students in 8th grade as well.
Charter schools are state-funded but privately managed public schools. Similar to city-wide schools, attendance is not limited to zones, which means that students from anywhere in the city can attend. However, each region consists of charters or performance contracts, which details its goals, program, and methods of assessment. Most charter schools have a particular approach to instruction, serve a specific population, and focus on a particular instructional theme. Although charter schools are independently governed, they are still accountable to Baltimore Public City Schools and regulated by the Maryland law. Examples of Contract schools include Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership school that is managed under contract with the Johns Hopkins University.
These are high schools that are run by independent education bodies, and each comprises of a specific theme and a specialized curriculum that emphasizes college, career, or alternative programs.
This type of school has autonomy in finance, hiring, and instructional concentration, and practice with greater accountability. Although most of these schools have become charter schools, the New Song Academy still holds the same principle.
These schools are specifically designed for students with disabilities that interfere with their performance and academic accomplishments within a community-based school. The Individualized Program Tea, together with city schools, offer separate public day schools programs, facilities, and specialized staff to meet the unique needs of all students.
These schools are tuition funded and are run independently of the local education authority. These schools require the students to pay fees to attend, but in some cases, may offer scholarships and financial aid to students. The majority of these schools are affiliated with a religious group, most commonly the Roman Catholic Church among other private foundations. On the other hand, international schools are also private schools that usually offer a wide variety of curricula, which is an advantage to international students who were formerly learning their home or different curriculum. The most common internationally recognized curricula offered includes the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, French Curriculum, German curriculum, and so on.
Baltimore offers a wide range of schools for students, including those seeking to study abroad. As the admission process may be challenging due to high numbers of applications and the different application processes for the different types of schools, advance planning and research is essential. Additionally, it is necessary to visit individual school website pages for more information on admissions policy, eligibility criteria, and application requirements, of the Baltimore schools you are interested in joining. Below are some of the crucial factors to put into consideration as you search and apply to schools in Baltimore:
Below is a comprehensive list of all the schools in Baltimore. Edarabia strives to offer the latest updates, helping you find the best schools in Baltimore with information on tuition fees, accreditation details, videos, photos, location map, community reviews, and ratings.
Edarabia showcases all private schools in Baltimore through which parents can filter by tuition fees, curriculum, rankings & ratings. There are many public, private and charter schools near you that cater to both expat and local students.
Depending on the level of education; kindergartens (pre-schools), primary, secondary and high schools will all have varying tuition fees. Most K-12 schools offer different curriculums and extra-curricular activities to support the intellectual and physical wellbeing of students. Admissions for the top international schools in Baltimore tend to have waiting lists so it is recommended that parents apply well in advance to secure a spot for their children. Additionally, each school has ratings based on parent reviews and are ranked below accordingly.
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