Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown joined Calvert County officials, local residents, educators and community leaders today at a groundbreaking ceremony for the ‘new’ Calvert High School in Prince Frederick. During the ceremony, Brown presented the Calvert High School community with a ceremonial check for $8.45 million, representing the state contribution to the project.
“I am excited to be a part of the community celebration that will build a ‘new’ Calvert High School. Governor O’Malley and I understand that the most important investment any government makes is an investment in our children. We are committed to building on the progress we have made by building new, learning-ready schools in every part of the state,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “We fight to protect our best-in-the-nation public schools every day of every year, not only during election years.”
Since taking office, the O’Malley-Brown administration has invested nearly $1.3 billion in school construction, a 53 percent increase over the previous administration’s investment. School construction funding increased 85 percent in Calvert County under Governor Martin O’Malley’s leadership, increasing from $20.1 million during the previous governor’s term to $37.1 million over the last four years.
Because of the national economic recession, the O’Malley-Brown administration has been forced to make tough choices and has cut $5.5 billion from the state budget, while protecting priorities in public safety and public education. Under O’Malley and Brown’s leadership, funding for K-12 public education has increased by $1.2 billion, test scores have improved in every subject, every grade, nearly every county and across every demographic group, Education Week magazine has ranked Maryland’s public school system the nation’s best two consecutive years and the College Board reported Maryland to lead the nation in Advanced Placement participation and performance.
Calvert High School is among the largest high schools in Calvert County. Like schools across the state, Calvert High School has reported dramatic increases in test scores in recent years. In 2003, only 74.7 percent of students scored proficient in reading and only 42 percent scored at least that high in math. Last year, nearly 88 percent scored proficient in reading and 94 percent scored proficient or better in math – a 123 percent improvement in six years.
In the last four years, Brown has toured the state, presenting ceremonial checks representing state contributions to capital projects at public elementary, middle and high schools.