This report presents results of the first Poll of the Public's Attitudes toward the Public Schools in Maryland. Based upon the 16th Annual Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes toward Public Schools, this statewide poll provides: (1) benchmark data on the attitudes toward public education of Maryland communities; (2) a vehicle for obtaining regular updates of the data; and (3) valid data to assist Maryland educators in correlating state, local, and national data. Data will be used to train educators in recognizing problems and maintaining communication networks with their publics. Poll results are presented for the nation, Maryland, parental status, sex, race, age groups, and educational levels. Results are organized in three parts: (1) overall ratings of public schools nationally, and of Maryland public schools, teachers, principals and administrators, school boards, and parents; and attitudes toward school tax increases; (2) general education issues such as goals of education, importance of extracurricular activities, attitudes toward a national graduation test, and schoolwork requirements; and (3) current issues such as major problems confronting the public schools, discipline, state teachers examinations, teachers salaries, and attitudes toward increasing the salaries of math and science teachers. The report is based on a random sample of 2,080 replies, drawn from 8,752 completed telephone interviews, in proportion to the number of households in each of Maryland's 24 school districts. (BS)