Maryland public schools: No. 1 in the nation (again)

For the second straight year, Maryland public schools have earned the top ranking in the nation by Education Week Magazine.

Governor O'Malley released a statement today expressing his pride in Maryland's school system:

"Even during these difficult economic times, we've continued to fully fund efforts to build new, state-of-the-art classrooms, integrate curriculum across all grade levels, and hire and retain the nation's best educators. Now, for yet another year, Education Week Magazine has affirmed the importance of protecting these shared priorities."

The magazine takes several factors into account in their rankings, including: student achievement on national tests, how well schools are finance, what state policies are in place and the overall chances a child has of success in school while living in a particular state.

Click here to read more in the Baltimore Sun.