MCAP: ELA/Literacy (Grades 3-8)
Maryland's spring summative test in reading and writing for grades 3 through 8, aligned to the Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards for ELA.
- When given:
- spring
- Frequency:
- annual
What does a student learn in
Maryland leans on national frameworks where they exist and writes its own where they do not. Math and English follow the Common Core, adopted in 2010 and rebranded as the Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards. Science runs on the Next Generation Science Standards. Social studies sits on a state-written framework refreshed in 2021, with a high school US Government course as the civic capstone.
- MCCRS: ELA
- MCCRS: Math
- NGSS (Maryland)
- MD Social Studies Framework
The shape of K-12
A plain-language read of how the state runs school.
- What students learn
- Math follows the Common Core from kindergarten through eighth grade, then opens into Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II in high school. English Language Arts uses the same Common Core spine, with students reading widely and writing arguments grounded in evidence. Science is taught the NGSS way, as something students figure out by investigating phenomena rather than memorizing definitions. Social studies builds toward a required US Government course.
- How students are measured
- The main spring test is MCAP, which covers reading and math in grades 3 through 8. Science shows up on MISA in grades 5 and 8. High schoolers sit end-of-course exams in Algebra I, English 10, Biology, and US Government as they finish each class. A sample of fourth and eighth graders also take NAEP every other winter, which is how Maryland gets compared to other states.
Frameworks adopted, by subject
The standards documents the state writes against in each subject.
Assessments
The tests students take across K-12, grouped by purpose.
Other
Tests that do not fit the buckets above.
MCAP: Mathematics (Grades 3-8)
Maryland's spring summative math test for grades 3 through 8, aligned to the Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards for Mathematics.
- When given:
- spring
- Frequency:
- annual
MCAP: Algebra I (End-of-Course)
End-of-course assessment in Algebra I, administered upon completion of the course in high school.
- When given:
- by course completion
- Frequency:
- by course completion
MCAP: English 10 (End-of-Course)
End-of-course assessment in English 10, administered upon completion of the course in high school.
- When given:
- by course completion
- Frequency:
- by course completion
MISA: Science (Grade 5)
Maryland Integrated Science Assessment in grade 5, aligned to Maryland's NGSS-based science standards.
- When given:
- spring
- Frequency:
- annual
MISA: Science (Grade 8)
Maryland Integrated Science Assessment in grade 8, aligned to Maryland's NGSS-based science standards.
- When given:
- spring
- Frequency:
- annual
MISA: Biology (End-of-Course)
End-of-course assessment in high school biology, aligned to Maryland's NGSS-based science standards.
- When given:
- by course completion
- Frequency:
- by course completion
MCAP: Government (End-of-Course)
End-of-course assessment in high school US Government, aligned to the Maryland Social Studies Framework.
- When given:
- by course completion
- Frequency:
- by course completion
NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.
- When given:
- biennial in winter
- Frequency:
- every two years
Browse by grade and subject
Pick a cell to see exactly what students learn that year.
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
- Subjects covered
- 4
- Grade levels
- 13
- Standards on file
- 1,004
- Assessments tracked
- 9
- Most recent adoption
- 2021
Common questions
Does Maryland use the Common Core?
Yes, for reading, writing, and math. Maryland adopted the Common Core in 2010 and rebranded them as the Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards. The skills students are expected to learn each year are the same ones used in most other states.
What is the spring test, and who takes it?
Students in grades 3 through 8 take the MCAP in reading and math each spring. Grades 5 and 8 also take the MISA science test. In high school, students take end-of-course tests in Algebra I, English 10, Biology, and Government when they finish those classes.
Which science standards does Maryland use?
Maryland uses the Next Generation Science Standards, adopted in 2013. These standards expect students to explain how the natural world works and to use evidence from experiments and data, not just memorize facts.
How often do the standards change?
Not often. The reading, writing, and math standards have been in place since 2010, and the science standards since 2013. The social studies framework was refreshed in 2021. Most years, what students are expected to learn stays the same.
Where can parents see what students learn this year?
The grade-level pages on this site list every standard students are expected to meet, written in plain language. Pick a subject and a grade to see the specific skills covered in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.
Sources
Every page link goes back to the state's own document.