Hollywood Elementary

Hollywood Elementary is a small Pre-K through 5th grade school in College Park, MD, serving 284 students as part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district. The school stands out for its exceptionally high per-pupil spending of $25,508 and a very low student-to-teacher ratio of 11.6:1, both of which are among the best in the area. However, despite these significant investments in resources and individualized attention, the school's overall academic performance has historically placed it in the bottom third of Maryland elementary schools, with recent state rankings falling to the 20th-25th percentile.

A notable bright spot is Hollywood's 3rd-grade math performance, where 28.6% of students achieved proficiency—the highest rate among all nearby non-magnet schools, including Vansville Elementary and Beltsville Academy. Yet, this success is followed by a dramatic decline in 4th grade, where math proficiency plummets to just 7.7%, the lowest among nearby schools. This sharp drop suggests a potential challenge in the transition to 4th-grade curriculum. Additionally, chronic absenteeism has risen sharply to 31.2%, far exceeding rates at nearby schools like Adelphi Elementary (11.1%) and Berwyn Heights Elementary (21.8%), which likely undermines the benefits of small classes and high spending.

Comparing Hollywood to Dora Kennedy French Immersion, a magnet school just 1.66 miles away, reveals stark contrasts: Dora Kennedy has a much lower poverty rate and dramatically higher academic performance (77.5% ELA proficiency vs. 32.6%). This highlights how school choice and demographics can shape outcomes within the same district. Overall, Hollywood Elementary offers strong resources but faces challenges in translating them into consistent academic gains, with volatile math scores and a critical weakness in 5th-grade science (9.1% proficiency). Parents should consider these factors, especially the absenteeism trend and grade-level performance dips, when evaluating the school.