Virginia and Maryland are among the worst states in the country when it comes to racial equality in education, according to a new WalletHub study that comes as the effects of President Donald Trump’s education policies continue to take hold.
Virginia ranked 33rd, and Maryland ranked 34th out of all 50 states in racial equity across key education metrics, including graduation rates, test scores, and degree attainment rates for Black and white students. The study revealed that school districts with mostly white students receive $23 billion more annually in funding than those mainly serving non-white populations.
Both states have large Black student populations and some of the nation’s wealthiest counties, but wide disparities remain, driven in part by property tax-based school funding and political decisions that have blocked reforms.
“In South Carolina and elsewhere, the use of school choice policies has created more inequality,” said William McCorkle, a WalletHub expert and an education professor at the College of Charleston. “We see similar patterns in other states where race and class determine access to quality education.”
In Maryland, students in Baltimore City face underfunded schools with aging infrastructure, while wealthier counties enjoy advanced coursework and modern facilities. In Virginia, Republican leadership has prioritized culture wars over funding equity, pushing to restrict how history is taught rather than addressing the root causes of educational gaps.
Experts say that Trump’s administration worsened the situation by cutting K-12 funding, attacking the teaching of real American history, and stripping the Department of Education of resources. His allies at the state level have followed suit.
“Race and class are both tied to school spending,” said another WalletHub expert and Miami University professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies Rodney Coates. “Poor and majority-Black areas have less access to advanced courses, experienced teachers, and the funding needed to provide quality education.”
Another WalletHub expert Dr. Tyrone C. Howard, of the Pritzker Family endowed chair in Education to Strengthen Children and Families and director of the UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children & Families, said programs that focus on the lowest-performing schools and schools in low-income areas must continue to be a focus for educational equity.
“With so many students missing from school, intentionality on more school social workers, school counselors, mental health supports, and academic supports are vital,” Howard stated.
Rutgers University professor Shauna Lani Shames, also a WalletHub expert, said quality education is essential for democracy.
“We have some of the best scholars in the world who work hard to find and explain facts and truth,” Shames said. “Education must reflect that, not fear it.”
WalletHub’s findings show that Black students continue to face obstacles that go far beyond the classroom, driven by the racial wealth gap, housing segregation and political decisions that prioritize comfort over truth.
“All students deserve the finest education we can provide,” said Dr. Kim Scipes of Purdue University Northwest.