GOAL 1: ENSURE SUCCESS FOR EVERY STUDENT
MILESTONE 1: All students will achieve or exceed proficiency standards in mathematics, reading, and writing on local and state assessments.
DATA POINT: High School Final Exams
OVERVIEW
The MCPS Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs (OCIP) produces Semester 1 and Semester 2 countywide examinations for use in Algebra 1, Biology, English 10, and National/State/Local Government (NSL). These examinations assess student mastery of the same content standards from the Voluntary State Curriculum in each of four subject areas covered by the Maryland High School Assessment (HSA) and the Maryland School Assessment (MSA). The examinations, which are administered at the end of each semester to all students enrolled in the course, account for 25 percent of students’ semester course grades.
The MCPS countywide final examinations have three primary purposes:
- To provide a valid and uniform assessment of student attainment of learning outcomes
- To allow meaningful comparisons of the performance of student groups among and within each middle and high school across Montgomery County
- To better prepare students for high-stakes statewide assessments