Montgomery County Public Schools students continued to make academic gains during the 2025–2026 school year, with improved performance in science, mathematics and English language arts (ELA) on the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP), according to results released Tuesday by the Maryland State Department of Education.
The district posted growth across all three tested subject areas, over statewide performance and marking a second consecutive year of improvement on state assessments.
In science, combined results for fifth and eighth grades showed 40.1% of MCPS students met or exceeded proficiency, up 4 percentage points from the previous school year. The district outperformed the statewide proficiency rate of 32.4%.
MCPS students also improved in ELA, where 58.5% achieved proficiency, an increase from 57% in 2024–2025. The district remained well above the statewide proficiency rate of 51.7%.
Mathematics proficiency also increased, with 36.9% of MCPS students meeting or exceeding proficiency across all math assessments, compared with 35.7% the previous year. The district’s performance surpassed the statewide average of 27.1%.
Statewide mathematics results also highlight MCPS’ progress over time. Since 2022, the district has increased math proficiency from 30.2% to 36.9%, while maintaining one of the highest-performing math programs in Maryland.
“We are far from finished, but this is really encouraging progress,” Superintendent Thomas Taylor said in a press release on Tuesday. “We see clear and steady improvement in our proficiency across the board. These results demonstrate clear momentum in areas like science and literacy.”
The Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education attributes “the recent score improvement to intentional intentional interventions and dedicated student support systems. Looking ahead, the primary challenge remains addressing the ongoing social-emotional and developmental impacts stemming from the pandemic,” a school board spokesperson told MCM.
Taylor credited teachers and school leaders for the gains while emphasizing that the district remains focused on continued improvement.
“While this growth shows we are on the right path, we remain committed to building on this progress for every student in our district,” Taylor said.
Families and community members can explore detailed MCAP results for the state, school districts and individual schools through the Maryland Report Card, the state’s online accountability and reporting system.
