The fourth report required by the Maryland Educational Accountability Act, this report contains information about goals for Maryland public education and progress toward those goals. An introductory chapter explains accountability, the Maryland Accountability Act, and limitations of current instruments for measuring learning progress. The second chapter chronicles accomplishments of the Maryland State Department of Education, including educational programs, public library programs, vocational rehabilitation programs, and other program support services in such areas as affirmative action, teacher certification, and accreditation of schools and programs. The central purpose of the report, to present Maryland accountability assessment information, is accomplished in Chapter Three. Results show that Maryland scores on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills at the third-grade level are the same as or significantly ahead of the national norms. At the fifth-grade level, scores are close to the national norms. Seventh- and ninth-grade averages range uniformly below the national norms. Scores are also presented at the county and school level. The last chapter contains a report of progress in special program areas, including Project Basic, special education program monitoring and evaluation, a revised program cost accounting system, and Project STAR, a program to help selected schools improve their reading programs. (Author/JM)