Forbes Magazine Ranks MCPS as the 5th Best School District in America in Delivering High Student Performance at a Low Cost


ROCKVILLE, MD – Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is the 5th best school district in America in terms of delivering high student performance at a low cost, according to a new analysis published in Forbes magazine. MCPS ranked the highest of any school system in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region on the list of 97 districts studied by Forbes.

The Forbes analysis focused on 775 counties with more than 65,000 residents that had the highest average property taxes. Forbes narrowed the final list to 97 by looking at the jurisdictions where more than 50 percent of the education spending came from property taxes. The study examined the per pupil spending costs adjusted for the cost of living in these communities and compared them with national student performance indicators such as SAT scores and participation rates and high school graduation rates.

“The independent Forbes analysis confirms that the resources our community has invested to improve student achievement have indeed produced excellent returns,” said Jerry D. Weast, superintendent of schools. “For the last eight years, we have worked to make sure that every dollar we spend yields results for our students.”

The Forbes ranking, published in the July 23, 2007 edition, adds to a series of recognitions over the past two years that distinguish MCPS for its quality of education, student performance, financial expertise, and organizational productivity, especially in comparison to other school districts nationally and regionally. The full rankings are available online at www.forbes.com/schoolratings.