BALTIMORE – Results from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) for the 2023-2024 school year showed modest increases statewide in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics scores.
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) released complete results on Tuesday during the State Board of Education meeting.
This year’s student proficiency rates indicate continued progress in reversing post-pandemic learning loss. An estimated 48.4 percent of students showed proficiency in ELA, up from 47.9 percent in 2022-2023. The mathematics proficiency rate in mathematics was 24.1 percent compared to 23.3 percent for the previous school year.
“It is clear that we must accelerate gains urgently for students across Maryland,” said Dr. Carey M. Wright, State Superintendent of Schools. “This is not just about proficiency rates on statewide assessments. A comprehensive approach is needed to meet our goals of ensuring that all students are ready for college, career and life.”
“More than ever, it is critical that we focus on the core work in schools,” said Dr. Joshua Michael, State Board of Education President. “We must get back to basics — ensuring students arrive each day ready to learn, engaging families as true partners, and supporting teachers to lead effective instruction each day. With strong leadership at MSDE, full implementation of the Blueprint, and strengthened partnerships with local school districts, we expect to see significant progress moving forward.”
The 2023-2024 school year marks the third full administration of the ELA and mathematics assessments after a shortened test for the 2021-2022 school year. No assessment was administered in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other highlights of the 2023-2024 assessments:
- Most student groups maintained similar proficiency levels in ELA over the past year. ELA proficiency increased by 0.6 to 1.7 percentage points for most student groups, except for Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and multilingual students, which experienced slight declines.
- No student group experienced a decline in mathematics proficiency.
- Achievement gaps persist among student groups in both ELA and mathematics. Multilingual students, economically disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities had lower proficiency rates as compared to the overall student population.
In January, the State Board set an aspirational target for Maryland to be among the top 10 states for literacy instruction by 2027. MSDE has also launched a $6.85 million, four-year philanthropic partnership with the nonprofit Ibis Group to increase literacy outcomes statewide.
MSDE plans to continue working alongside local school systems in providing additional student supports, high-quality instructional materials, ongoing professional learning and data-driven academic interventions. MSDE is facilitating statewide professional learning for all educators on the Science of Reading and hosting Mathematics Learning Labs to assist school systems with data analysis and review.
Earlier this year, Dr. Wright created a task force to examine the state’s assessment and accountability systems for increased transparency and better connections between school ratings and student achievement. The Assessment and Accountability Task Force is expected to provide a report at the end of 2024.
State ELA and mathematics assessments are administered annually in grades 3-8 and once in high school. ESSA also requires a statewide assessment in science for each grade band – grades 3-5, grades 6-8, and once in high school.
The MCAP assessments measure mastery of Maryland content standards to ensure that all students are progressing and receiving the necessary resources for remediation and enrichment. MCAP assessments include four student performance levels: Beginning Learner, Developing Learner, Proficient Learner, and Distinguished Learner. Both distinguished and proficient learners are considered proficient.
State, school system, and school-level data will be published on the Maryland Report Card website in early September.
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