we are joined by tim tooten. sounds like good news. >> overall, maryland record some of its best graduation numbers in more than 15 years. that may have been due in part to the progress made in baltimore city. >> i have attended meetings. >> mariana is about to realize her dream of one day attending college. she is a junior at baltimore's medical arts academy high school. top administrators picked the school to highlight process. last year 87% of maryland seniors receive high-school diplomas. baltimore city, the numbers climbed to 79%, 6 percentage point higher than 2010. >> we had to do an extraordinary job of putting our kids in a position where they are in a position to aspire to be there. that has been the most important priority of my administration. >> the graduation numbers were even more impressed -- impressive for african-american students. four years ago, there were almost as many dropping out of school as graduating. >> the drop in rough neighborhoods where people are getting shot, stabbed, raped, kidn

tim tooten is live in the newsroom with more on maryland student performance. >> the progress at times has been slow, but while more students are graduating, a growing number of them are putting school across the state to work. top officials found reason to celebrate. >> the state's high school valuation numbers are the highest they have been in 15 years. they include all graduates, not just those who finished in four years. statewide, the graduation rate is 85%. 71% in baltimore city, and 83.1% in baltimore county. in other parts of the state, the graduation rate is 95% in carroll county, 85.7% in hartford county, and 85.9% in howard county. the good news is even if it takes five years, students understand the goal. they are staying in school. our teachers are doing a better job of delivering instruction. i think you see that reflected in what we feel are positive steps. >> there were more signs of progress on the new hampshire as a high-school assessments. last year students met the requirements in english and government. the state reports that 85% have students passed. 8.8% met the