FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ROCKVILLE, MD – Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) continues to demonstrate strong academic momentum, according to the 2024–2025 Maryland School Report Card released by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Results show that MCPS is continuing to make improvements in district progress toward academic excellence.
Of the 200 MCPS schools included in the performance evaluation, 95.5% earned a rating of three stars or higher, significantly outpacing the statewide average of 86%. This achievement represents a 1.9% increase for MCPS schools compared to the previous year. Notably, 26 MCPS schools increased their rating by one star from the 2023-2024 to the 2024-2025 school year results.
The MCPS Strategic Plan has a goal of having all of its schools earn more than 4 stars. This year, a total of 53.5% of MCPS schools obtained a 4-star or 5-star rating, marking a robust 3.5 percentage-point increase over the 2023–2024 school year results and exceeding the state average of 43%.
"This rise in school performance clearly shows that MCPS is moving toward excellence,” said Superintendent Thomas Taylor. “We celebrate this strong momentum and the incredible work of our students and educators. And our commitment doesn't waver: we will keep pushing until 100% of our schools reach 4 stars and above, making sure that an outstanding educational experience is the reality for every student in Montgomery County."
These positive outcomes directly align with the goals outlined in the MCPS Strategic Plan and are the result of key tactics to boost academic excellence across the district:
- Instructional excellence: Delivery of high-impact, standards-aligned instruction that meets the diverse needs of all students.
- Data-driven adjustments: Use of sustainable, real-time instructional structures and ongoing School Improvement Plan (SIP) data analysis to make informed instructional decisions and drive student growth.
- Curriculum consistency: Adherence to the Core Knowledge and Language Arts Literacy Curriculum (CKLA).
- Support frameworks: Implementation of ongoing school-focused support from cross-functional teams.
- Attendance and safety: Continued adherence to the Chronic Absenteeism Action Plan, ensuring students are physically present to learn, and maintaining the district’s unwavering focus on physical and emotional safety for students and staff.
The Maryland School Report Card provides a comprehensive view of school performance under the Maryland Accountability System for the 2024–2025 academic year. All schools are measured on academic achievement, progress toward English language proficiency, and school quality and student success measures. Elementary and middle schools are also evaluated on an academic progress indicator, while high schools are measured on graduation rates and postsecondary readiness. Based on these performance indicators, the state assigns each school a total earned points percentage and a Star rating on a scale of 1 to 5, with five stars representing the highest level of achievement.
Media Contact: For questions and additional information, please contact Liliana López, MCPS Public Information Officer at 240-753-8492.
Downloadable school-level data reports that include disaggregated data showing the performance of each student group are available on the Maryland Report Card website.
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