Sec. 13a.03.02.06. Maryland High School Assessments

A. A student shall take the requisite Maryland High School Assessment during its next regular administration if the student received credit for taking, by the methods identified in Regulations .03 and .04 of this chapter, any of the following courses aligned with the Maryland High School Assessment:

(1) Algebra;

(2) Science;

(3) English; or

(4) Government.

B. To be awarded the Maryland High School Diploma, all students, including elementary and middle school students who take high school level courses, shall take the Maryland High School Assessment for algebra, science, English, and government after the student completes the required course or courses.

C. Each local school system shall provide appropriate assistance to strengthen areas of weaknesses for students who have not achieved satisfactory scores on the Maryland High School Assessments.

D. Bridge Plan for Academic Validation.

(1) Eligibility Criteria. A student is eligible to satisfy the graduation assessment requirement through the Bridge Plan for Academic Validation if the student has:

(a) Failed one or more Maryland High School Assessments;

(b) Received credit in the course or courses related to the assessment or assessments;

(c) Demonstrated overall satisfactory attendance in the most recent school year completed; and

(d) Demonstrated satisfactory progress toward achieving the high school diploma requirements specified in COMAR 13A.03.02.09B(1) and (2); and

(e) Participated successfully in appropriate assistance as defined in §C of this regulation after having failed one or more of the Maryland High School Assessments.

(2) A student may begin a Bridge Project after one failure of a Maryland High School Assessment.

(3) A student may use the score on the Bridge Project to meet the graduation requirement only after the student has taken the Maryland High School Assessment twice and failed twice.

(4) The Bridge Plan for Academic Validation shall consist of:

(a) Specific modules developed by the Department in each of the Maryland High School Assessments content areas;

(b) The assignment by the local school system of one or more modules for completion by each student meeting the eligibility criteria;

(c) Scoring by the local review panels of the completed modules according to State-developed, Statewide scoring protocols;

(d) A recommendation from the local review panels to the local superintendent as to the outcome of the scoring of each student’s module or modules;

(e) Acceptance or rejection by the local superintendent of the local review panel’s recommendations; and

(f) An opportunity for the student to appeal the local superintendent’s decision to the State Superintendent of Schools.

E. Reporting Student Performance.

(1) A school system shall state on the student’s performance record card only that the student has or has not met all assessment requirements and shall not describe the option used to meet the requirement.

(2) For the purpose of this section, except for students identified in §F of this regulation, “met all assessment requirements” means achieving a passing score on all Maryland High School Assessments, or meeting the requirements of the combined score option, or successfully completing a Bridge Project in those assessment areas that the student did not pass.

F. If a student is graduating in the school year 2017—2018, and is a first-time test taker of Algebra I and/or English 10 in that school year, and has passed the course(s) but failed the Maryland High School Assessment aligned with those course(s), that student is exempt from completing a Bridge Project and will have met the assessment requirement for Algebra I and/or English 10.