The State Capitals Campaign Inaugural Event
Maryland State House – Governor’s Reception Room
100 State Circle10:00 am - 11:30 am
On January 31 at the Maryland State House, the College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, in collaboration with the National Conference of State Legislatures, announced the College Completion Agenda: State Capitals Campaign.
Hosted by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and College Board President Gaston Caperton, the inaugural event of the State Capitals Campaign serves as a call to action to improve college completion rates and return the United States to its place as the global leader in educational attainment. Nationally recognized as a leader for excellence in education and college completion, with a strong P-20 approach, Maryland was selected as the first stop in the nationwide tour. Participants representing every sector of education joined together in support of increasing the proportion of young people who hold a post-secondary degree to 55 percent by 2025. Over 120 participants ranging from university presidents and superintendents to teachers and students engaged in a conversation about lessons learned from a state that has successfully addressed, in innovative ways, some of the biggest challenges facing our education system.
The event program included distinguished speakers and a dynamic panel discussion.
Speakers included
- Governor Martin O'Malley
- Gaston Caperton, President, The College Board
- William "Brit" Kirwan, Chancellor, University System of Maryland
- Nancy Grasmick, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools
- Julie Davis Bell, Education Program Director, National Conference of State Legislatures
- Freeman Hrabowski, III, President, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Edward J. Kasemeyer, Maryland State Senator
- John Bohanan, Jr., Maryland State Delegate
- Charlene M. Dukes, President, Prince George's Community College
- David Wilson, President, Morgan State University
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"This will be the first in a series of nationwide discussions that address the possibilities and problems with achieving our ultimate goal: 55 percent of Americans holding a postsecondary degree by 2025. Education is already the currency of the 21st-century's knowledge economy, and the United States cannot afford to go bankrupt." |
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"Especially in these challenging economic times, it is important that we move into the new economy while ensuring that our workforce have the skills they need to succeed and our students have the tools they need to build a better future." |
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"Today the U.S. ranks 12th among industrialized nations in college completion rates, and — given demographic and educational trends — is on track to fall to last place among industrialized nations by 2025. We must turn this situation around. The U.S. cannot be the leader in the world in things that matter if we aren't the leader in educating our citizens." |
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"The first step in improving Maryland's college completion rate comes through providing each student with a college- and career-ready high school education. We are taking steps to further improve our number one-ranked schools by strengthening our curriculum and our instructional processes. Our students deserve nothing less." |
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"The only way America can remain globally competitive is by elected officials, educators, and our citizens working together to educate our youth. Anyone who has been to college understands that education transforms lives. Our fundamental challenge is to make college completion a matter of national urgency.." |
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"The Maryland legislature is an outstanding example of how state legislators are working hard to design effective policies and strategies all along the P–20 education spectrum that can significantly improve our education outcomes." |
Maryland Highlights
Maryland ranks ninth in the United States for percentage of four-year-olds enrolled in state-funded Pre-K programs.
Maryland's public school system was ranked as the nation's #1 public school system by Education Week for three straight years and first nationwide in the percentage of high school seniors scoring three or higher on at least one AP® Exam.
Maryland not only ranks among the top five states in the number of bachelor's degree-seeking students who graduate within six years, but it is also among the leading states in the number of Hispanic students graduating within six years.
