Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has been recognized as a Maryland “District on the Rise” in a recent national analysis conducted by Education Scorecard, with the school system significantly outperforming other local Maryland school systems in both reading and math recovery following the pandemic.
According to the study, FCPS ranks among the top-performing school districts in Maryland across the 2022–2025 period and is recognized nationally for strong student academic growth. FCPS’s reading recovery progress ranked in the 97th percentile nationwide, placing the district among the top-performing school systems in the country for reading improvement.
The study also found that FCPS students are learning at a rate of 1.11 grade levels per year, exceeding both the Maryland average (1.01) and the national benchmark (1.0).
Additional highlights from the report include the following achievements and outcomes for FCPS:
- Ranking among the top-performing school districts in Maryland for both academic achievement and post-pandemic recovery, including 3rd in the state for reading achievement and math recovery trends from 2022–2025.
- Students continuing to outperform state averages across multiple measures, including MCAP Math and English/Language Arts assessments, Maryland Report Card ratings, and graduation rates. Currently, 73% of schools earn 4 or 5 stars on the Maryland Report Card, compared to 41–43% statewide.
- Strong academic performance and growth among multiple student groups. Asian students ranked among the top-performing and fastest-improving student groups in Maryland, and Black/African American students ranked 2nd statewide across reading, math, and combined subject average scores.
- Continued improvement across grade levels and student outcomes, including gains in elementary English/Language Arts proficiency, middle school math proficiency, high school Algebra I proficiency, and graduation rates. FCPS also continues to maintain one of the lowest dropout rates in Maryland.
The study also identified opportunities for continued growth, particularly in supporting Hispanic/Latino students, whose academic growth trends currently lag behind both FCPS student-group averages and the national average learning rate.
Education Scorecard uses nationally recognized statistical methods to compare student achievement and academic recovery trends across states and school districts using National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) benchmarks and state assessment data.
FCPS remains committed to supporting the success of all students through high-quality instruction, targeted interventions, and strong partnerships with families, staff, and the community.