Maryland College and Career Ready Standards

Maryland, United States

A set of rigorous education standards establishing shared goals for what students should understand and be able to do in grades Pre-K through 12. These standards incorporate the Common Core State Standards for ELA and Mathematics, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and state-specific frameworks for Social Studies.

Maryland College and Career Ready Standards

A set of rigorous education standards establishing shared goals for what students should understand and be able to do in grades Pre-K through 12. These standards incorporate the Common Core State Standards for ELA and Mathematics, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and state-specific frameworks for Social Studies.

Governing Body: Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)

Year Adopted: 2010 (ELA/Math), 2013 (Science), 2020 (Social Studies)

Grade Levels Covered

Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, High School

English Language Arts / Literacy

Kindergarten

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1 Reading: Literature

With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

Key skills: Questioning, Identifying details, Active listening
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1 Reading: Foundational Skills

Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

Key skills: Directionality, Letter recognition, Word awareness

Grade 5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2 Reading: Informational Text

Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.

Key skills: Main idea identification, Summarizing, Evidence analysis
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1 Writing

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

Key skills: Argumentative writing, Logical structure, Supporting evidence

High School

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1 Reading: Literature

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Key skills: Textual citation, Inference, Critical analysis

Mathematics

Kindergarten

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.1 Counting and Cardinality

Count to 100 by ones and by tens.

Key skills: Sequential counting, Base-ten awareness

Grade 3

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.1 Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 x 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each.

Key skills: Multiplication concepts, Grouping, Visual modeling

Grade 8

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.B.5 Expressions and Equations

Graph proportional relationships, interpreting the unit rate as the slope of the graph.

Key skills: Graphing, Slope calculation, Unit rate analysis

High School

HS.A-REI.A.1 Algebra: Reasoning with Equations and Inequalities

Explain each step in solving a simple equation as following from the equality of numbers asserted at the previous step.

Key skills: Algebraic logic, Proof of steps, Variable isolation

Science

Grade 2

2-LS2-2 Life Science

Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.

Key skills: Modeling, Biological systems, Cause and effect

Grade 5

5-PS1-1 Physical Science

Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen.

Key skills: Particle theory, Scientific modeling, Evidence-based claims

Middle School

MS-ESS2-4 Earth and Space Science

Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

Key skills: System modeling, Energy transfer, Hydrologic cycle

High School

HS-LS1-1 Life Science

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life.

Key skills: Evidence-based explanation, Molecular biology, Structure-function relationship

Social Studies

Grade 1

1.0.A.1 Civics

Explain the purpose of rules and laws in the school and community.

Key skills: Civic responsibility, Rule following, Community awareness

Grade 4

3.0.A.1 Geography

Use geographic tools to locate and describe physical and human characteristics of Maryland.

Key skills: Map reading, Regional geography, Data analysis

Grade 8

5.0.C.1 History

Analyze the causes and consequences of the American Revolution.

Key skills: Historical inquiry, Cause and effect, Primary source analysis

High School

1.0.B.1 American Government

Evaluate the role of the Constitution as the supreme law of the land and the impact of the Bill of Rights on individuals.

Key skills: Constitutional analysis, Legal reasoning, Civic evaluation

Implementation Notes

Maryland implements these standards through a state-led framework that allows Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to adapt curriculum to local needs. ELA and Math are strictly aligned to Common Core, while Science follows the 3-dimensional learning model of NGSS (Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas). Social Studies focuses on inquiry-based learning using the C3 Framework.

Assessment

Student progress is measured via the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP). ELA and Math assessments are administered annually in grades 3-8 and once in high school. Science is assessed through the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) in grades 5, 8, and high school (Biology). Social Studies is assessed in grade 8 and through a high school American Government assessment.

About This Standard
Added:
January 13, 2026

This standard was generated using AI with grounded search to find official, accurate information. While we strive for accuracy, please verify important details with official sources.

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