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College and Career Readiness Standard

Overview

The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future was passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2021 to transform public education in the state into a world-class education system. Within Blueprint, the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Pillar sets a new CCR Standard that prepares graduates for success in college and the workforce by ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to complete entry-level credit-bearing college courses and work in high-wage and high-demand industries. The Blueprint aims to have all students meet the CCR standard by the end of their 10th grade year, develops CCR-Support pathways to support students in meeting the standard, enables students to enter a Post-CCR pathway that builds on the student’s strengths, develops a Career and Technical Education (CTE) system that is aligned with industry’s needs, and ensures that prekindergarten through 12th grade curriculum, standards, and assessments are all aligned with the new CCR standard.

Meet the CCR Standard

Students can meet the CCR standard through 3 possible options:

OPTION 1 – Academic Benchmarks

Students must have:

  1. A cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.0 at the end of the 10th grade or 11th grade, AND

  2. A final grade of an A, B or C in Algebra 1, OR a Performance Level 3 or 4 on the Algebra 1 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) exam.

Note: For the 2024-2025 school year, initial GPA eligibility for 12th graders began with their cumulative GPA at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.

OPTION 2 – Standardized Test Benchmarks

Students must have:

  1. Earned a Level 3 or 4 on the ELA 10 MCAP, AND
  2. Earned one of the following:
    • Performance Level 2 or 3 on the Early Fall 2021 MCAP Algebra I, Geometry, or Algebra II exam; Level 3 or 4 on the Algebra I, Geometry, or Algebra II MCAP exam taken after Spring 2022; Level 4 or 5 on the PARCC Algebra 1, Geometry, or Algebra II exam, OR
    • A minimum score of 520 on the math portion of the SAT.

Note: SAT data will continue to be added as students assess during the year.

OPTION 3 – Career Connected Benchmarks

Starting in the School Year 2025-2026, students may also meet the CCR standard by meeting at least one of the following alternative CCR Measures:

  1. Earn a one-year High School Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher in their 11th grade or 12th grade year. This GPA is not cumulative of previous years and only includes courses completed in the student’s 11th grade or the student’s 12th grade year. The student must also earn a grade of A, B, or C in a high school level math course at any point in the student’s high school career.
  2. Earn a grade of C or better (unless otherwise specified by dual enrollment agreements) in at least two core-content dual enrollment or dual credit courses at any point in the student’s high school career. One of these courses must be a Math course and one of these courses must be an ELA, Science, or Social Studies course.
  3. Meet performance threshold on at least two advanced academics (AP or IB programs) assessments at any point in the student’s high school career. One of these assessments must be a Math assessment and one of these assessments must be an ELA, Science, or Social Studies assessment. For Advanced Placement (AP) assessments, scoring a 3 or higher, International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme assessments, scoring a 4 or higher.
  4. Meet the College and Career Readiness Benchmarks on the SAT, PSAT, or ACT:
    1. To meet the College and Career Readiness Benchmarks on the SAT, as defined by the College Board, students must earn a score of at least 480 on the Reading and Writing section AND earn a score of at least 530 on the Mathematics section.
    2. To meet the College and Career Readiness Benchmarks on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, students must earn a score of at least 480 on the Reading and Writing section AND earn a score of at least 530 on the Mathematics section.
    3. To meet the College Readiness Benchmarks on the ACT, as defined by the ACT, students must earn a score of at least 18 on the English section AND earn a score of at least 22 on the Mathematics section.

  1. Obtain a score of “At Target” on both the Math and English/Language Arts Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessments.
    1. Participation in the Alternate Assessments is reserved only for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, who have been determined by their IEP teams as eligible to participate in the Alternate Framework.
    2. Note that participation in the Alternate Assessments is never a decision to be made based on administrative convenience or outside of the IEP team process, as students participating in the Alternate Framework are participating in a program of study that is more likely to result in earning a Certificate of Program Completion rather than a Maryland High School Diploma.
    3. Please see the “Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) – Mathematics, ELA and Science / Alternate Assessments” page on MSDE’s website for more information on the DLM assessments. Please see the “Guidance for IEP Teams Working with Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities: Assessment and Eligibility for the Alternate Framework” document for more information about the Alternate Framework.
  2. Earn Silver or better on the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) assessment.
  3. Earn a state-approved Industry-Recognized Credential, aligned with a Career and Technical Education and/or Comprehensive Arts pathway.
  4. Complete the high school level of a registered apprenticeship program.
  5. Earn a score of at least 50 on the ASVAB

CCR Standard Status

Check a Student’s Status

Students and parents/guardians can check a student’s CCR status via HCPSS Connect by taking the following steps:

  1. Log in to HCPSS Connect Synergy
  2. Select More Options from the left panel
  3. Select AP Schedule tab
  4. View student’s CCR status, listed directly above the Test Name column

Note: Parents/guardians with multiple children in the school system can toggle under Select Student to choose the applicable student.

Status Not Met

Students showing College and Career Readiness status as “Not Met” (and their parents/guardians) can review their scores for the English and Mathematics exams by:

  1. Logging in to HCPSS Connect Synergy
  2. Select More Options from the left panel
  3. Select Standardized Test Scores tab
  4. Scroll to find scores for ELA and/or Algebra MCAP

The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future requires a determination of CCR at the end of 10th grade; however students who have not met the status are reevaluated in 11th and 12th grades to determine any changes. Students who have not met the CCR standard can retake the applicable MCAP during any winter or spring administration to earn a Performance Level 3 or 4 and meet the testing requirements. School staff will communicate reassessment options as testing windows approach.

Students’ CCR statuses will be updated throughout the year to capture students who become CCR through reassessment.