Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement today following Newsweek Magazine’s annual “America’s Top High Schools” issue, showing Maryland public high schools ranking first in the nation in college-level courses. Maryland ranks the highest of all 50 states in terms of the percentage of high schools offering college-level courses, and the number of students taking those courses.

“We have chosen as a people to invest in our public schools – in the future of our State – even when times are tough.

“We’ve challenged our students to perform to their potential, bringing advanced courses to underserved schools throughout Maryland. Even during these difficult economic times, we’ve continued to make record investments in new, state-of-the-art classrooms, integrating curriculum across all grade levels, and hiring and retaining the nation’s best educators. Newsweek’s ranking serves as yet another indication that our investments will be paying dividends for years to come.”