College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013 (CCRCCA)

Background

In 2013, the Maryland General Assembly passed the College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act (CCRCCA). The Act includes the requirement that all students be assessed for college and career readiness in English and mathematics by the end of Grade 11, using one of several college and career readiness assessments. As part of the CCRCCA, students who do not meet the college and career ready (CCR) standard in English or mathematics by the end of Grade 11 must enroll in a transition course or other instructional opportunity in Grade 12. After completing the transition course or instructional opportunity, students must be reassessed by the end of Grade 12.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has a longstanding goal of ensuring that our graduates leave MCPS prepared for credit-breaking coursework in postsecondary study and for living wage careers in the competitive global workforce. All MCPS high schools already provide instructional opportunities during the junior and senior years to help students transition to credit-bearing coursework in college and help them achieve college-ready scores on the SAT, ACT, or ACCUPLACER. Historically, more than 70 percent of MCPS students take the SAT and/or ACT by the end of Grade 11, with additional students taking the ACCUPLACER. Students then routinely receive instructional support during senior year before another test administration. This support might be a College Test Prep course, online modules such as Khan Academy or MyFoundationsLab, or other instructional supports that regularly embed preparation for college-readiness assessments as part of instruction. These existing practices, already in place in every MCPS high school, are the foundation for implementation of the CCRCCA. All schools are providing information to students and families to ensure they understand the best assessment to take by the end of the junior year, and if needed, how to enroll in transition courses or other instructional opportunities during senior year.

High school graduation requirements are the conditions that MCPS students must meet in order to graduate and receive a diploma.

Read more about the MCPS Graduation Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

In MCPS, what assessments will students take to determine college and career readiness in Grade 11?

Expand/Collapse Answer

All students are expected to be assessed for college and career readiness by the end of Grade 11 using the SAT, ACT, or ACCUPLACER regardless of assessment by other measures, according to the College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act (CCRCCA). MCPS covers the cost of one SAT or ACT for each Grade 11 student. Students in Grade 11 or in the same graduation cohort are eligible. MCPS also covers the cost of the ACCUPLACER for all students.

Critical Reading/English/Language Arts	Mathematics
SAT: Reading subtest 26 or higher or Evidence-based Reading/Writing 480 or higher OR ACT: 21 or higher OR Classic ACCUPLACER: Reading 79 or above AND* Sentence Skills 90 or above OR Next Generation ACCUPLACER: Reading 263 or above AND Writing 263 or above	SAT: 530 or higher OR ACT: 21 or higher OR Classic ACCUPLACER: Elementary Algebra 62 or above AND College-level Mathematics 45 or above OR Next Generation ACCUPLACER*: Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics 263 or above

*If taken before July 1, 2019.

What if a student does not meet the requirement by the end of Grade 11?

Expand/Collapse Answer

As part of the CCRCCA, students who do not meet the CCR standard by the end of Grade 11 must enroll in a transition course or other instructional opportunity in Grade 12. After completing the transition opportunity, students must be reassessed by the end of Grade 12. Transition options in MCPS include the following options:

Completing online instructional modules in preparation for reassessment (e.g., Khan Academy).
Enrolling in a course within the student’s schedule, such as College Test Prep, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) English and/or mathematics courses, or the final course within a Career and Technology Education (CTE) program of study that leads to program completion.
Enrolling in the next English or mathematics course in sequence, with additional requirements that provide additional time and content in preparation for reassessment.

What are the reassessment options to determine college and career readiness in Grade 12?

Expand/Collapse Answer

Reassessment does not require taking the same test again; it could be a different test, an AP or IB examination, career licensure or certification, or a summative assessment developed in partnership with and validated by Montgomery College. MCPS will cover the cost of the CTE certification exam for program concentrators or completers.

One of the following assessments may determine college and career readiness in Critical Reading/English/Language Arts		One of the following assessments may determine college and career readiness in Mathematics
SAT: Reading subtest 26 or higher or Evidence-based Reading/Writing 480 or higher OR ACT: 21 or higher OR Next Generation ACCUPLACER: Writing 263 or higher AND Reading 263 or higher OR Advanced Placement (AP) Language and Composition or AP Literature and Composition: 3 or higher OR International Baccalaureate (IB) English: 4 or higher		SAT: 530 or higher OR ACT: 21 or higher OR Next Generation ACCUPLACER: Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics 263 or higher OR Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB or BC, or AP Statistics: 3 or higher OR International Baccalaureate (IB) Mathematics: 4 or higher

Career and Technology Education (CTE) external assessment that leads to a professional license or industry certification
Visit https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/info/CCRCCA/certifications-041217.pdf for specific programs. Students must complete CTE program to use this option for CCR.

OR LOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH MONTGOMERY COLLEGE:

Summative writing assessment externally validated by
Montgomery College;
OR
Grade of B or Higher in Modern World History (any level), AP Language and Composition, or Honors English 12

Summative mathematics assessment externally validated by
Montgomery College;
OR
Grade of B or Higher in Algebra II
(any level)

How will students know what test to take and if transition coursework is needed?

Expand/Collapse Answer

School counselors and staff members will work closely with students to determine the best assessment to take in Grade 11, as well as transition course options and reassessment during Grade 12, if necessary.

How can parents/guardians receive more information about their child’s status and programming?

Expand/Collapse Answer

Parents/guardians should contact their child’s school counselor or college and career information coordinator (CCIC) at your high school. More information also can be found at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org, search “CCRCCA.”

Resources for MCPS Staff

Career and Technology Education (CTE) Assessments by Program of Study–CCRCCA Qualification