End of Course Exams Information
What is an MCAP EOC exam?
An EOC exam is a state-administered high school assessment, incorporated into select courses as a final exam with a percentage counting towards the students’ final course grade.
Important Information
- On July 25, 2023, the Maryland State Board of Education adopted changes to the Code of Maryland Regulations 13a.03.02 Graduation Requirements for High Schools in Maryland.
- Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, for students entering the ninth grade (Class of 2027), the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment for science and government will count as 20 percent of the student’s final grade in the respective high school level biology and government courses.
- This 20 percent will be calculated into the second or the semester “B” final grade. The Semester B final grade for these aligned courses will be made up of the marking period 3 grade (40 percent), the marking period 4 grade (40 percent), and the MCAP exam grade (20 percent).
- Students are not required to pass the EOC exams to graduate but must pass the course to earn course credit.
Purpose of this Change
- Separate the assessments from graduation requirements at the high school level and no longer require a passing score because research shows that high stakes exit exams disproportionately and negatively impact students of color and economically disadvantaged students, reducing their likelihood of graduation from high school.
(Hanushek, E., & Raymond, M., 2004; Rockoff, J., & Turner, L., 2008)
Frequently Asked Questions and Resources
- The Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs had a parent/caregiver drop-in session to answer questions on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
- The Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs joined En Vivo: Pregúntale A MCPS to discuss End of Course Exams. The meeting was conducted in Spanish.
- This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document provides answers to questions related to the implementation of the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) End of Course (EOC) exams for high school students in MCPS.
español / 中文 / français / Português / 한국어 / tiếng Việt / አማርኛ - Additional information is also available on the Maryland Public Schools website and the MSDE End of Course Assessments FAQ document.
- Practice Tests for the American Government and High School Science (LS MISA) EOCs can be found here.
- Additional information about the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) can be found at the MCAP page on the MCPS webpage.