MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Montgomery County Public Schools has unveiled an ambitious new plan to expand specialized high school programming, reportedly settling on 37 different options in honor of the district’s 36.9% math proficiency rate.
According to MCPS’s own 2025–26 MCAP results, just 36.9% of students met proficiency across district math assessments.
“We wanted a number that truly represented MCPS,” one district official explained. “Rounding up to 37 seemed appropriate. We’re pretty sure that’s how rounding works.”
Under the new system, eighth graders will evaluate specialized programs, rank their choices, navigate multiple application rounds, determine transportation logistics, and essentially select a career trajectory before they’re old enough to drive.
Officials acknowledged that calculating the probability of actually getting into a student’s preferred program may require math skills currently possessed by only 36.9% of MCPS students.The district briefly considered offering 59 programs to match its 58.5% English proficiency rate, but officials determined that would involve too much reading.
MCPS stressed that the expanded programming will prepare students for careers in fields such as medicine, engineering, technology, and science.“
Whether a student dreams of becoming a doctor, engineer, scientist, or accountant,” an MCPS spokesperson said, “we’re committed to providing them with specialized educational opportunities where someone can hopefully teach them math, because let’s face it, math can be hard. Have you seen how math can have both numbers and letters sometimes?”
MCPS officials say the new programs will give students more opportunities than ever before to prepare for college and careers. The district’s next challenge will be figuring out whether 37 specialized high school options divided by a 36.9% math proficiency rate equals progress. Officials declined to provide an answer, citing concerns that the calculation was outside the curriculum.
MoCo Shit Show – watch where you step
MoCo Shit Show Note: The 37% figure is real: MCPS reported that 36.9% of students met proficiency across all MCAP mathematics assessments for 2025–26. Source: MCPS, 2025–2026 MCAP Results, July 28, 2026.
Maryland statewide is worse, so let’s just be thankful we’re in MoCo.