Maryland Statewide Assessments

Maryland’s statewide assessments measure how students are progressing toward mastery of the state academic standards and provide information that helps families, educators, schools, districts, and the state understand student learning over time. Assessment results are one important measure among many, such as classroom work, grades, teacher input, and local assessments, that help inform instruction, student supports, staffing, and continuous improvement.

Maryland is transitioning from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) to the Maryland System of Testing Academic Readiness (MSTAR) beginning in the 2026-27 school year. This transition reflects Maryland’s continued commitment to providing high-quality assessments that measure student readiness for college, career, and life success. Key features of MSTAR include shortened test length, improved precision, updated accessibility features, and enhanced online reporting of test results for families and educators. For more information, see MSTAR Transition - PDF - 398.58 KB and the MSTAR adaptive test explainer - PDF - 436.84 KB.