MSTAR: Maryland's New State Test Replacing MCAP in Spring 2027

For years, Maryland students have taken MCAP, the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, every spring. Starting in spring 2027 that changes, one group of tests at a time. The first to switch are the English and math tests in grades 3 to 8, which become MSTAR. This guide covers what changes, what stays the same, when your child will test, how Maryland and Baltimore students did on the last MCAP, and how to prepare.

MSTAR at a glance

It is a statewide test, so it applies equally in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel and Howard counties and the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, such as Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

The three-year switch from MCAP to MSTAR

MSDE is moving to MSTAR in stages. According to its transition FAQ for families (September 2026), the schedule is:

For high school math, MSDE's transition timeline shows the separate Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II tests being phased out and replaced by MSTAR integrated math assessments from 2028–29.

What changes for students in grades 3–8

The Maryland State Department of Education lists four main differences, and its FAQ adds detail on each:

• A shorter test. MSTAR is about 25% shorter than the previous Maryland assessment.
• Questions that follow the student. MSTAR "routes students to groups of questions based on their performance as they move through the test." MSDE says this can reduce the frustration of questions far above or below a student's level and helps the test pinpoint more accurately what a student knows than a traditional test of the same length.
• Updated accessibility features for students who need them.
• A family portal. After the first MSTAR administration, families get free, on-demand, mobile-friendly access to their child's score reports and to sample grade-level questions, with past results added over time.

What does not change: MSTAR, like the assessments before it, is aligned to grade-level standards and curriculum. It measures the grade-level skills taught in class.

MSDE has said that additional tools for families are being prepared ahead of the first MSTAR window, so watch for materials from your school this winter.

What stays the same this year: high school MCAP

High school students take the same MCAP tests as before in 2026–27: English 10, Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II, along with science and government, depending on the courses they are taking. These scores still matter beyond the report card. Under the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, results in English 10 and Algebra I are among the ways students can show they meet Maryland's College and Career Readiness standard, so ask your child's school counselor which routes apply to them.

How Maryland and Baltimore students did on MCAP in 2026

MCAP reports four performance levels: Level 1 Beginning Learner, Level 2 Developing Learner, Level 3 Proficient Learner and Level 4 Distinguished Learner. Levels 3 and 4 count as proficient. The spring 2026 results, released on July 28, 2026, were reported by The Baltimore Banner and WYPR:

Two patterns stand out. Baltimore City's English scores have climbed for several years, and 46.9% of the city's 10th graders passed the English test, 4.3 points more than in 2025. Math is the harder story statewide, and it gets harder with age: WYPR reported math proficiency of 42.6% in third grade, 30.2% in fifth grade and 23.4% in eighth grade.

Reading your child's scores

Your child's spring 2026 MCAP report shows a level from 1 to 4 for each subject. That report is still the most recent picture of their skills, and a Level 1 or 2 in math is worth acting on now rather than in April.

When the first MSTAR results arrive, read them as a new starting point. A new test with a new design is not a continuation of last year's numbers, so compare your child's results with the grade-level expectations in the report rather than point by point with their old MCAP score. The family portal is designed to collect results over the years, which will make trends easier to follow from 2027 on.

How to prepare at home

1. Ask for the dates. The state window is two months long, from March 29 to May 28, 2027. Your school will know its own testing days.
2. Use the school's practice materials. MSDE is preparing resources for families before the first window. Ask your child's teacher what the class has seen of the new format and whether there is anything to try at home.
3. Read every day. Reading for 20 to 30 minutes, then talking about what happened and why, builds the stamina and comprehension the English test measures.
4. Keep math facts and fractions solid. Much of what later grades build on, such as multiplication, fractions and ratios, is taught between third and sixth grade. A few minutes of practice most days does more than a long session before the test.
5. Keep perspective. MSDE itself calls state results one measure among many, alongside classwork, grades and teacher input. Sleep and a normal routine during testing weeks help more than cramming.

Where a tutor can help

A tutor is especially useful when a child has a specific gap that keeps getting in the way: fractions in fifth grade, ratios and negative numbers in sixth and seventh, linear equations before Algebra I, or reading comprehension and written answers in English. Starting in January leaves about ten weeks of weekly lessons before the testing window opens.

You can look for a math tutor or a reading tutor on Edtalk, where every profile shows the tutor's price before you book and lessons take place online or in person in Baltimore. For a sense of what tutoring costs locally, see our guide to tutor prices in Washington, DC and Baltimore.

Key dates

Washington, DC is changing its state test in the same spring. If you have family on both sides of the line, our guide to DC CAPE Next covers the District's version.