Worcester schools report sharp rise in students meeting Maryland college-and-career-readiness benchmarks

Worcester County Public Schools officials told the board that a combination of multiple CCR pathways and expanded dual-enrollment opportunities have driven large gains in students meeting Maryland’s college-and-career-readiness benchmarks.

Dr. Tom Hamill and Jen McDow reviewed the state’s CCR criteria — pathways that include a 3.0 GPA plus math mastery at the end of 10th grade, qualifying scores on assessments (SAT, PSAT, ACT), AP/IB results, dual-enrollment grades and state-approved industry credentials — and explained how students who do not meet CCR by the end of 10th grade receive individualized CCR plans and supports.

Nut graf: Presenters said the system’s emphasis on dual enrollment, targeted CCR plans for students who miss benchmarks at grade 10 and increased access to college-level courses in high school have produced a rapid improvement in CCR designations and reduced the need for remediation in many graduates.

District data cited in the presentation: the Class of 2025 had a 78.4% CCR rate; earlier cohorts (class of 2023) were much lower under older assessment definitions. Dual-enrollment participation has risen substantially — staff reported 538 students took at least one dual-enrollment course in 2025, and among the Class of 2026 approximately 329 of about 520 graduates had taken at least one dual-enrollment course, averaging roughly 3.2 dual-enrollment classes per participating student. The share of seniors completing a college-level English course in high school increased from about 24% (2023) to about 46% (2026).

Board members asked whether community colleges accept the state’s CCR designation for placement; presenters and Dr. Wallace said dual-enrollment pathways taken on the district campus are generally accepted by Warwick Community College when students enroll there, but students who go to a college campus may be required to complete institution-specific placement assessments (for example, NextGen Accuplacer) in some cases. District leaders said that is an active topic of discussion with college leadership.

Presenters stressed that different student cohorts follow different pathways (transfer-oriented students vs. access-oriented students) and that the district’s blueprint measures and a stronger CCR plan process this year reduced achievement gaps. They said the next goal is for every graduating student to have taken at least one dual-enrollment course.

Ending: The board thanked presenters and encouraged continued outreach and partnership with local higher-education providers; staff will continue to monitor CCR placement and dual-enrollment uptake as part of Blueprint implementation.