HCPSS Student Test Scores on 2026 State Achievement Tests Continue Overall Improvement

July 28th, 2026

Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) students’ performance in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) continues to improve and exceed state averages, as reflected in 2026 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) scores recently released by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The MCAP assessments measure mastery of state 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.

Among all the counties in the state, Howard County ranked second overall in math proficiency for all tests combined (42.1%) and fourth overall in ELA proficiency for all tests combined (65.9%). In addition, Howard County student scores are higher than state averages across all grades for both math and ELA. The overall state average for math proficiency is 27.1% and the overall state average for ELA Is 51.7%.

However, despite 2026 math and ELA proficiency rates exceeding state averages across all student populations, disparities continue to exist between some student groups in Howard County, including Students with Disabilities, Multilingual Learners, Black/African American students, and students who are Hispanic/Latino of any Race.

“While the majority of our student population performs well, we know we still have opportunities to close persistent achievement gaps and become a great school system for every student,” said HCPSS Superintendent Bill Barnes. “Through the efforts detailed in our strategic plan, we will continue to focus our efforts to understand the needs of each individual student and provide what they need to overcome the challenges they face.”

The 2026 MCAP ELA and Math Results were presented to the Maryland State Board of Education on Tuesday, August 28, and can be viewed online. Full MCAP results will be provided among the Data Downloads on the Maryland Report Card site, https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/.