Beacon of the South: Oxon Hill Clippers Lead PGCPS High Schools in 2025 MCAP Gains

23% rise in mathematics proficiency signals students’ readiness for STEM futures

Oxon Hill High School students posted the greatest gains of all PGCPS high schools — and the second-highest gains of any school in the district  — on the 2025 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP), with an impressive 23% jump in mathematics and a 2% rise in English Language Arts.

The results indicate strong academic momentum and a firm STEM grounding for a school that is home to one of the district's flagship Science and Technology programs. 

Principal Ronald Miller Jr., an Oxon Hill graduate, credits a culture of high expectations as the "secret sauce" to the school's academic gains.

“When you have students involved in programs with people who care about them, from program coordinators to teachers, you are able to build relationships and make learning concepts relevant,” Miller said. “That is what allows us to increase academic rigor.”

Problem-Solving at the Core: Math as the Language of Learning

For the Clippers, math isn't confined to the classroom — it's everywhere. From STEM labs to culinary kitchens, students are building the problem-solving skills that drive every subject and every future career. Principal Miller often reminds students that “we are all math people,” a message rooted in his own journey from struggling math student to school leader.

As the first district high school to introduce one-to-one Chromebooks before the pandemic, Oxon Hill has paired its strong STEM foundation with real-time academic support. QR codes in classrooms connect students instantly to their teachers, while honor societies provide peer tutoring in geometry and other math topics.

In the classroom, teachers emphasize immediate, accurate feedback. Learning walks, collaborative planning, and professional development for math educators have been central to student growth.

Students see the impact firsthand. 

“The Science and Technology Program here has really allowed me to excel in science and math,” said senior Zoey Farrell, who is interning with Howard University on a research practicum. 

Culinary Arts senior Brianna Brunson applies math daily in her training: “We have to add, subtract, and multiply to adjust recipes for catering requests. Before we even graduate, we can earn a Safe Server Certificate, which allows us to become restaurant managers right out of high school.”

For senior Charles Alford, who entered the Science and Technology Program a year later than most peers, teacher support proved transformative. “They taught me an abstract way of looking at math, and now I am three grade levels ahead,” he said. “Their support even inspired me to co-found our school's STEM club.” 

Junior Kennedy Hamm echoed that accessibility: “Math here is taught very hands-on. Teachers are accessible and provide a lot of resources. You can even schedule after-school tutoring through QR codes in our classrooms.”

With rising test scores, expanding programs, and a culture centered on relationships, Oxon Hill is preparing students not just for graduation, but for leadership in science, technology, business, the military, and beyond.

Pathways to Success: The ‘4 E’s’

Miller and team emphasize connecting students to the school’s legacy of achievement and encouraging graduates to pursue one of four “E’s”: college enrollment, entrepreneurship, military enlistment, or employment.

Oxon Hill's academic foundation is bolstered by five programs:

• Science and Technology
• Project Lead the Way (engineering)
• National Academy of Finance (business)
• Culinary Arts (Career and Technical Education)
• Air Force JROTC, which recently earned an ‘exceeds expectations’ rating with a score of 95 on its spring inspection.

High Expectations, Inclusive Support

“Last year we had an 86% senior graduation rate — up nearly 10 percentage points from the year prior — and an 84% promotion rate for our ninth-grade students," said Principal Miller. "Forty-five percent of our juniors who took an AP course scored a 3 or higher on their exams. Students across all of our premier programs are thriving. We are proud of the trajectory that we are on.”

Sustaining a culture of high expectations also means adapting to the school's shifting demographics, ensuring that every student group is supported to meet high expectations.

As an Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) school —a designation used when data show that at least one student group needs additional targeted support to improve performance — Oxon Hill is focusing attention on its multilingual learners. The school has responded by adding a dedicated parent engagement liaison and an ELD professional school counselor to better support students and families.

“We want to make sure that all students feel welcomed here at Oxon Hill, and we want to see them be successful and thrive,” Principal Miller said.