Assessments for High School Grades
Learn about the various assessment types and their purpose for high school grades 9-12.
English Language Proficiency
- WIDA ACCESS - K-12 students who are identified as English learners.
- WIDA ACCESS (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State) is a summative English language proficiency assessment. WIDA ACCESS is given annually to English learners in kindergarten through grade 12 in WIDA Consortium member states to monitor students' progress in learning academic English.
MSTAR (High School)
- Legacy MCAP Assessments - MSTAR should also include English Language Arts: ELA10, Math: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Science MISA: Life Science (Biology), and Social Studies: HS Government
- These assessments are the Legacy Assessments under the Maryland System of Testing Academic Readiness (MSTAR) and evaluate student proficiency in grade-level standards for select grades. These assessments will be changing after the 2026-2027 school year in the phased MSTAR rollout of new assessments. Together, these assessments measure student progress toward college and career readiness and provide key performance data for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Report Card.
College and Career Readiness
- Accuplacer - 10th & 11th
- The Accuplacer is a series of tests that evaluate students’ skills in reading, writing, and math to help college administrators place them in dual enrollment courses that match their skills. The Accuplacer is computer adaptive and measures current academic skills.
- PSAT 8/9 - Qualifying 9th Graders for Specialty Program Admission
- The Preliminary SAT (PSAT) 8/9 is the first assessment in the SAT Suite of Assessments and is designed to provide baseline data for where students fall on the College and Career Readiness continuum as they enter high school. This assessment is utilized as a part of the application criteria for Specialty Program admissions.
Maryland Alternate Achievement
- Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) - ELA: Grade 11
- Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Alternate Assessment system provides an accessible, standards-based framework to evaluate regional special education learners with significant cognitive disabilities. Aligned with Maryland Alternate Achievement Standards, DLM translates state academic content in English language arts, mathematics, and science into manageable alternate targets called "Essential Elements"
