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Online Pathway to Graduation Program

The Online Pathway to Graduation (OPTG) is a school-year-long program, divided into four sessions, that enables current Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students to meet some of the academic requirements for a Maryland high school diploma. OPTG courses feature required synchronous (real time, virtual) instruction delivered by content-certified, MCPS teachers, alongside robust asynchronous curriculum. OPTG students have access to a virtual support center where they can receive additional synchronous support, as well. All unit tests are proctored in the virtual support center.

Students will earn credit as they complete their coursework, and credits are applied to student transcripts upon course completion. Students are responsible for completing all Maryland and MCPS graduation requirements, End of Course assessments, and student service-learning requirements.

Eligibility

Eligible participants must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Current MCPS high school students.
  • Students must reside in Montgomery County for the full duration of the course(s).
  • Passed the Maryland High School Assessment (HSA) for any online HSA course needed; HSA-related OPTG courses may be taken from failure or for grade improvement only
  • Have not earned a General Equivalency Diploma (GED).

Requirements and Expectations

  • Students may take up to two courses per session.
  • Each session has a set start and end date.
  • Students must complete the entirety of their course(s) during each session, and there will be no extensions to course end dates
  • Due dates are in place to support pacing.
  • Each course has a mandatory synchronous component
  • Students will be removed from their course if they miss three synchronous class meetings or if they miss two consecutive class meetings.
  • Students removed from courses due to lack of attendance will be placed at the end of the waitlist in future sessions.
  • Counselors must re-register students who are removed, as registrations will not be automatically applied to future sessions.

Please visit the link below for the 2026-2027 OPTG course catalog, registration and course start and end dates for each session, and the weekly meeting schedule. Note that course offerings are subject to change.

2026-2027 OPTG Course Catalog

Fall 2026 OPTG registration TBA. Speak with your counselor for more information on how to register.

Registering for the Online Pathway to Graduation program involves the following steps:

  1. Contact a counselor at your high school.
  2. Complete registration with your counselor.
  3. You will be contacted by the Student Online Learning office with next steps.

OPTG Administrative Staff:

Brian Beaubien, Supervisor
or Phone: 240-740-4042

Cynthia Cunningham, Registrar
or Phone: 240-740-3945

Brian Anders, Communications Specialist/Web Producer
or Phone: 240-740-3946