Only 57% of MCPS students proficient in reading, 36% proficient in math

[Anonymous]

You have to click on the MCAP section to see the 2025 data.

[Anonymous]

Everyone who had kids in MCPS the past 5 years knows that during the pandemic, our schools were closed longer than any other school district in the nation and MCPS didn't teach all of the content (how could you with the Weds off alternating schedule for the remaining 4 days/week?). While I understand that all educators had a heavy lift during that timeframe, other local schools/districts made better decisions. Also, we all know that the 50% HW rule, plus retakes, plus astonishing grade inflation across the board, systematically removes motivation from even the most supported kids. So spare me the "technology is bad! parents don't read to their kids" lines. The issues with MCPS are waaaay bigger than home engagement. Signed, a parent (and former teacher) who hired tutors to supplement my children's MS/HS education because MCPS decided it wasn't their responsibility to teach the content, hire qualified teachers, or give responsive feedback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious if teachers (and parents) feel like MCAP "proficient" scores actually align with what you would consider proficiency? How often are there students who score a 2 who you feel like have a solid grasp of the material? Do the cutoff scores for proficiency seem too stringent or are they about right?

When the MCAP first came out, almost every school system had low proficiency rates.

I think part of the issue was that the curriculum wasn't geared towards the test. Which personally I think is an issue itself. Where ideally if a student has a firm foundation in something, it shouldn't matter what test they take, they should still be able to do okay in it.

Personally, more recently it seems more normal to see proficient scores among student populations.

Which is why it kind of irks me when I see people try to find excuses or reasons to explain the low proficiency levels.

It might be buried in a thread a while back, where it was pointed that MCPS trailed HCPSS in the proficiency rates in most of the subject areas.

Then some troll or something started to try to post how even Algebra isn't really necessary and it's not a good measure of student success.

At the very least the performance levels of MCAP scores should be used as an indicator of your student's knowledge of the subject area. You can also take into account their grades, how they're doing in class, teacher's feedback, etc. But I wouldn't necessarily disregard the score/performance level because the trend or the majority of the population have lower proficiency rates. If you drill down to specific schools or groups, you'll see that they have at least a 60 percent proficiency rate.

[Anonymous]

Yet, MCPS thinks we need more magnets. That will surely get the 36% proficiency up.

[Anonymous]

Here is the previous thread talking about the proficiency rates from the previous year on mdreportcard. It starts further down the page:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/575/1284673.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the previous thread talking about the proficiency rates from the previous year on mdreportcard. It starts further down the page:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/575/1284673.page

Acutally nevermind, that' s not it. There was another one where people were comparing proficiency rates between schools within MCPS. Can't find it anymore. but you can look and compare with what's on the site now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet, MCPS thinks we need more magnets. That will surely get the 36% proficiency up.

It’s possible to do more than one thing at a time. To completely neglect top performers (ie, grades 1–3) in order to focus 100% on the lowest performers is not a good solution.

The solution is teacher and school accountability. They behave like workers who are in jobs where they cannot be fired. MCPS pays teachers far higher than most parts of the country and the results of the teaching is terrible (see the MCAP results).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the previous thread talking about the proficiency rates from the previous year on mdreportcard. It starts further down the page:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/575/1284673.page

Acutally nevermind, that' s not it. There was another one where people were comparing proficiency rates between schools within MCPS. Can't find it anymore. but you can look and compare with what's on the site now.

I think this is the thread:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/1274196.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet, MCPS thinks we need more magnets. That will surely get the 36% proficiency up.

It’s possible to do more than one thing at a time. To completely neglect top performers (ie, grades 1–3) in order to focus 100% on the lowest performers is not a good solution.

The solution is teacher and school accountability. They behave like workers who are in jobs where they cannot be fired. MCPS pays teachers far higher than most parts of the country and the results of the teaching is terrible (see the MCAP results).

To clarify, I am talking about the bad teachers. The ones who do not hand back classwork, do not make accurate or good corrections, who focus more on letting a student because of their condition disrupt the class rather than teach, the list goes on. Thank goodness I do not have to deal with that awful MCPS ES anymore.

There are many amazing teachers here and they should be duly rewarded for their great work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SOURCE: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/27/state-test-scores-mcps-gains-reading-math-science/

Students at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) scored higher than the state average on annual standardized tests during the 2024-2025 school year, but scores show only 57% of MCPS students are proficient in English Language Arts and 35.7% are proficient in math, according to data provided by the Maryland State Department of Education on Tuesday.

Still, MCPS students showed some improvements in reading, math and science proficiencies, according to the data.

“This is important growth for our students,” MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor said in a Tuesday statement. “I believe that these results show that we are turning the corner and moving in the right direction. However, we still have much work to do to get to where we need to be.”

Disparities in test scores among student demographics also continue to plague MCPS and the state, with Black and Hispanic/Latino students scoring lower than their white and Asian classmates, according to state data.

This is embarrassing. How is it that MCPS is ok with graduating students with these low levels of proficiency?

Wokeness = failure

[Anonymous]

What I find interesting is that they've never calibrated MCAP by testing adults, including teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher in another district in MD, not MCPS. These scores are worth an applause. Please understand where we started. We can not expect scores to go from 0 to 100 in a year. MCPS is trending upwards. That is a good sign. What they are doing is working. It will take many years to see the true outcome, not just one year. Yes there are still things that need to be tweaked. CHROMEBOOKS WERE FOR DISTANCE LEARNING. We have been back in the classroom for a couple years now. Why do we still have chromebooks? Students have tech class, so yes they will still understand the basics of computer operations. Everything is on the chromebooks now. The live teacher led lesson? Smart board and videos. Group work? Use the chromebooks. Test? On the chromebook. Interventions and services? On the computer. It is crazy. We no longer allow our students to think, problem solve, work with one another. Students do not need basic foundational skills in math or reading if they are being given a device. I will say it again, as I always do on this board. Show up and show out to remove the technology from the classrooms. You and I learned without computers yet we still know how to use technology.

Low proficiency levels in math and literacy in MCPS precede the pandemic though.

As educators, you all have to hold the system accountable for its failures and stop saying it was the pandemic. The reality is, MCPS has been passing kids along who can't read and do math at high levels for at least the past decade.

This. And everyone is Honors. GMAB.

[Anonymous]

I'll give MCPS some credit.

Taking a look at mdreportcard for the Grade 3 Math scores, where these students shouldn't have been affected by the pandemic as much, MCPS's proficiency rate is 50.4 percent compared to the state overall.

Some schools have really high rates, such as Bannockburn at 86.5

But there are still some schools with low ones such as Gaithersburg ES at 13.8 percent

To truly be a sign of a good school system, and not just a sign of the population who would perform well anywhere, the student groups have to be high performing with little achievement gaps between them.

So maybe it's not all doom and gloom but MCPS still has some work cut out for it.

And it really does start at elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and it's above State and National averages.

So we shouldn't be alarmed?

Do you understand averages or are NOT proficient in math.

How many are learning disabled? How many have only been in the country for a year? Do you actually have any facts about those that lack proficiency? Do you think only 100% is acceptable?

I doubt 37% of DCUM is proficient in math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SOURCE: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/27/state-test-scores-mcps-gains-reading-math-science/

Students at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) scored higher than the state average on annual standardized tests during the 2024-2025 school year, but scores show only 57% of MCPS students are proficient in English Language Arts and 35.7% are proficient in math, according to data provided by the Maryland State Department of Education on Tuesday.

Still, MCPS students showed some improvements in reading, math and science proficiencies, according to the data.

“This is important growth for our students,” MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor said in a Tuesday statement. “I believe that these results show that we are turning the corner and moving in the right direction. However, we still have much work to do to get to where we need to be.”

Disparities in test scores among student demographics also continue to plague MCPS and the state, with Black and Hispanic/Latino students scoring lower than their white and Asian classmates, according to state data.

This is embarrassing. How is it that MCPS is ok with graduating students with these low levels of proficiency?

But apparently they are “turning the corner” still. They’ve been turning last 10+ years!!