PRESS RELEASE: New MCAP Scores Reflect a System in Transition – Not a System that has Finished Changing.

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New MCAP Scores Reflect a System in Transition – Not a System that has Finished Changing.
Maryland is Making Progress but Far From Ending Reading Crisis,

Maryland READS: We’re Flipping the Script!  The trend is turning but there is more work to be done.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  |  July 28, 2026

BALTIMORE, MD — Today our state released the latest Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) scores.  What actually matters is not the scores themselves but whether they tell us if we are heading in the right direction.

Last year, only seven districts improved in fourth-grade reading. Only four improved across fourth, eighth, and tenth. These are the questions we should be focused on – are the trends improving?  And the positive news is that they are:

• Last year: 7 districts increased proficiency, 17 declined.
• This year: 16 districts held steady or increased, only 8 declined.

“The early district-level picture for 4th grade reading proficiency shows Maryland is beginning to flip the script,” said Trish Brennan-Gac, Executive Director, Maryland READS.  “Twice as many districts held ground or gained compared to last year — the direction Maryland needs to be moving in, and the direction we’ll keep pushing every district toward.

The current presentation only shows aggregate, statewide numbers — it doesn’t break down how individual school districts are actually performing. The Maryland READS team is looking under the hood and crunching the numbers — breaking down the data by school district for 4th, 8th, and 10th grade reading — to find out whether Maryland is actually moving in the right direction, not just on average.  We will release more information after further review.

“We know that Maryland in gaining momentum in our efforts to end our reading crisis,  Every family whose child crossed into proficiency this year deserves to celebrate that, but let’s be clear: this is not the moment to take our foot off the accelerator,” said Trish Brennan-Gac, Executive Director, Maryland READS. “We know we are gaining ground, but we are nowhere near ending Maryland’s reading crisis. Too many Maryland students still cannot read at grade level, and incremental progress cannot become an excuse to slow down.”  Instead, we must acknowledge that it is an important indicator that our systems are changing.  But our work to rebuild and create thriving reading ecosystems is not done.

What It Means to Keep Our Foot on the Gas Pedal

 Maryland READS is calling on the following stakeholders to build on this momentum:

Educators must continue to take advantage of the no-cost science of reading training programs offered through MSDE, ensuring every classroom teacher has access to evidence-based instruction.

School districts must deepen their partnership with MSDE on implementation of the statewide literacy coaching program, and be transparent with their communities about how coaching is being deployed and what results it is producing.

Higher education programs must take seriously the findings of the recent NCTQ report on teacher preparation and take concrete, timebound steps to align coursework with the science of reading — and be transparent about their progress.

“Incremental progress is promising, and the momentum is real. But this is just the beginning. If we want today’s gains to become tomorrow’s proficiency, we need to keep making investments — in coaching, in teacher preparation, and in every classroom — and build off of what’s working.” —Trish Brennan-Gac

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About Maryland READS

Maryland READS is a nonprofit organization working to end Maryland’s reading crisis by advancing evidence-based literacy policy, building community capacity, and driving systemic change. Through the READ Strong Network, Maryland READS partners with families, educators, community organizations, and elected officials in counties across Maryland to ensure every child learns to read.

www.marylandreads.org
info@marylandreads.org

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