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James Ryder Randall Elementary

Q: Is James Ryder Randall Elementary a good school?

James Ryder Randall Elementary ranks 600 th of 865 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

600^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 865 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 31% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

James Ryder Randall Elementary is a K-5 school in Clinton, MD, serving 299 students within the Prince George's County Public Schools district, where over 91% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Despite historically ranking in the bottom quarter of Maryland elementary schools, the school has shown notable improvement, rising to its highest ranking in nearly a decade for the 2025-2026 school year. This recent uptick suggests positive momentum, even as the school continues to face significant challenges in core academic subjects.

The most striking differentiator for James Ryder Randall is its exceptional effectiveness with its most vulnerable students. In the 2020-2021 school year, the school ranked in the 81st percentile statewide for serving low-income students, earning a 4-star rating—a stark contrast to its overall ranking and indicating that the school is doing something fundamentally right in supporting its economically disadvantaged population. This is particularly impressive when compared to nearby Francis T. Evans Elementary, which has a much lower poverty rate (60.3%) and higher overall test scores, but does not show the same level of effectiveness with its low-income students. Additionally, James Ryder Randall's 5th-grade English Language Arts scores are a clear bright spot, with 54.9% of students proficient—significantly higher than the district average of 35.5% and even surpassing the state average of 46.8%.

While the school excels in targeted support for specific groups, it faces persistent challenges in mathematics, where proficiency across all grades was just 14.8% in the 2025-2026 school year. Chronic absenteeism stands at 35.0%, which is high but comparable to nearby schools like Princeton Elementary (51.9%) and Samuel Chase Elementary (47.6%), suggesting a community-wide issue rather than a school-specific failure. The school spends over $21,000 per student, higher than many peers, and this investment appears to be effectively directed toward supporting its highest-need students. For parents, James Ryder Randall offers a school that is making meaningful strides in supporting its students despite significant socioeconomic hurdles, with pockets of excellence that demonstrate real potential for growth.

299

Students ?

14.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,599

Per pupil spending ?

91.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5410 Kirby Rd
Clinton, MD 20735-1421

(301) 449-4980

District: Prince George's County Public Schools

Students who attend James Ryder Randall Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Stephen Decatur Middle
High:	Surrattsville High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

50.5%

Hispanic:

42.8%

Asian:

2.0%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare James Ryder Randall Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 21st percentile in 2016 → 31st in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 10 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (26% vs 39% meeting standards)

!Science scores 15 pts below the Maryland average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school26%

District avg25%

Maryland avg39%

600^th of 865

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Bottom 31%▲ up 10 pts since 2016

From bottom 21% (2016) to bottom 31% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

54^th of 135Elementary Schools in the Prince George's County Public Schools

22^nd of 24Prince George's County Public Schools among Maryland districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2026	27.7	600 of 865	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.4	620 of 865	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.3	676 of 859	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.4	652 of 855	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.8	668 of 862	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.5	582 of 802	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	13.6	751 of 853	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	13.8	752 of 857	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	17.0	706 of 847	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	20.0	670 of 845	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	21.6	673 of 859	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	61.0	389 of 867	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	56.5	397 of 847	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	27.9	685 of 857	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	25.2	698 of 853	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	28.0	694 of 855	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	31.5	649 of 850	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	49.0	499 of 838	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2007	67.0	282 of 818	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2006	72.4	223 of 804	72.3%	★★★★☆
2005	63.8	325 of 805	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2004	63.2	348 of 803	56.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	51.3	164 of 504	67.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	26.8	529 of 796	33.5%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	61.0	105 of 546	80.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	19.0	639 of 788	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)81st percentile+53 vs school

African American (2021)67th percentile+40 vs school

Female (2021)34th percentile+6 vs school

Male (2021)19th percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts40%-11 vs state

Science18%-15 vs state

Mathematics15%-12 vs state

3.0

4 ratings · 4 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, June 21, 2016

My children got a quality education here. The teachers are very effective and caring. From the principle to all the teachers we were very happy with how things were run. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, February 16, 2016

James Ryder Randall Elementary has wonderful staff who try very hard to work with many children who are either in the early child development or the elementary part of the school. The school has too many students and not enough staff and Prince Georges County does not give enough money to assist the school and the special programs they run. The Early Childhood Development part of the school has overcome many challenges over the past couple years with new leadership in that part of the school and I have noticed the change in a totally positive way. Many parents send their children with their handicaps and have to realize once on the bus they also need to make sure that they are at the other end to pick them up. I commend James Ryder Randall for the past couple years and new leadership that has taken over. The caring staff and supportive teachers! Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, August 28, 2014

OFFICE STAFF RUDE NOT SURE THATS WHO I WANT MOLDING MY KIDS ! Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, January 7, 2013

Beware Parents
12/14/12 James Randall Ryder lost my 6 years old son for over two hour they did not know where he was. I had to call 911 and a police officer finally found him in the schools restroom two hours after school dismisal. The principle never contacted me to follow up on his well being, explain what happened or apologize. The staff showed little to no effort in finding my son. Majority of this school staff in general seems to have no passion for what they do and are just there to collect a check. Some of the teachers there are even arrogant enough to refer to students as challenges. It is a unproffessional school. Close Quote

Schools Near James Ryder Randall Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAP Mathematics (2026)							MCAP English Language Arts (2026)							MCAP Science (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Science 5th Grade	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James Ryder Randall Elementary	Public	K-5	5410 Kirby Rd	Clinton	20735	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 449-4980	299	20	14.7	91.6%	5 (1.7%)	151 (50.5%)	128 (42.8%)	6 (2.0%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.7%)	27.7	600^th of 865 public elementary schools	30.6%		24.4	620^th of 865 public elementary schools	28.3%	20	16.1	14.3	13.7				14.8	37.1	30.9	54.9				40.5	17.6		$21,599	$1,652	$19,946
Francis T. Evans Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6720 Old Alexandria Ferry Rd	Clinton	20735	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 599-2480	393	23	16.8	60.3%	51 (13.0%)	203 (51.7%)	113 (28.8%)	7 (1.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.1%)	31.3	564^th of 865 public elementary schools	34.8%		36.9	503^rd of 865 public elementary schools	41.8%	61	50.0	21.2	12.9				26.1	37.3	33.3	35.7				35.3	15.7		$18,232	$910	$17,323
Imagine Andrews Public Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	4701 San Antonio Blvd	Andrews Air Force Base	20762	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	Yes	No	No	No	(301) 350-6002	347	26	13.6	28.8%	63 (18.2%)	212 (61.1%)	47 (13.5%)	8 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	14 (4.0%)	47	435^th of 865 public elementary schools	49.7%		56.4	360^th of 865 public elementary schools	58.4%	75	58.1	25.6	10.9	17.0	18.2	17.9	24.4	65.1	38.1	35.6	56.5	53.5	66.7	52.3	21.3	45.0	$22,247	$1,427	$20,820
Clinton Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9420 Temple Hill Rd	Clinton	20735	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 599-2414	295	23	12.9	87.8%	28 (9.5%)	149 (50.5%)	105 (35.6%)	7 (2.4%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	18.3	710^th of 865 public elementary schools	17.9%		16.5	737^th of 865 public elementary schools	14.8%	27	21.7	7.8	8.3				12.4	26.1	25.5	35.4				29.0	15.7		$21,744	$1,693	$20,051
Allenwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6300 Harley Ln	Temple Hills	20748	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 702-3930	371	34	10.8	87.9%	8 (2.2%)	158 (42.6%)	193 (52.0%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.6%)	13.5	774^th of 865 public elementary schools	10.5%		18.9	701^st of 865 public elementary schools	19.0%	73	17.5	6.0	8.8				10.5	25.0	25.4	19.6				23.5	12.5		$24,224	$1,888	$22,335
Avalon Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7302 Webster Ln	Fort Washington	20744	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 449-4970	302	22	13.7	90.1%	11 (3.6%)	152 (50.3%)	126 (41.7%)	3 (1.0%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.0%)	13.5	775^th of 865 public elementary schools	10.4%		22.3	659^th of 865 public elementary schools	23.8%	116	14.0	10.0	3.4				8.6	32.6	24.0	25.4				27.0	5.3		$25,260	$1,454	$23,807
Tayac Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8600 Allentown Rd	Fort Washington	20744	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 449-4840	459	34	13.5	85.2%	15 (3.3%)	204 (44.4%)	222 (48.4%)	7 (1.5%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.5%)	9	835^th of 865 public elementary schools	3.5%		12.8	795^th of 865 public elementary schools	8.1%	40	9.4	6.8	4.4				6.8	14.3	13.6	21.7				16.7	6.7		$20,792	$1,783	$19,008
Princeton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6101 Baxter Dr	Suitland	20746	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 702-7650	269	23	11.5	94.1%	4 (1.5%)	161 (59.9%)	90 (33.5%)	6 (2.2%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (1.9%)	12.1	794^th of 865 public elementary schools	8.2%		13.8	779^th of 865 public elementary schools	9.9%	15	13.0	0.0	4.8				6.6	29.8	14.3	26.2				24.2	10.0		$25,630	$2,576	$23,055
Waldon Woods Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10301 Thrift Rd	Clinton	20735	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 599-2540	523	33	15.6	92.0%	8 (1.5%)	358 (68.5%)	131 (25.0%)	7 (1.3%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.9%)	20.8	673^rd of 865 public elementary schools	22.2%		17.7	721^st of 865 public elementary schools	16.6%	48	23.7	14.2	2.9				12.6	40.8	29.2	33.7				33.9	11.5		$17,189	$993	$16,196
Apple Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7400 Bellefield Ave	Fort Washington	20744	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 449-4966	277	23	11.8	93.5%	7 (2.5%)	113 (40.8%)	145 (52.3%)	5 (1.8%)	3 (1.1%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	14.4	762^nd of 865 public elementary schools	11.9%		24.8	612^th of 865 public elementary schools	29.2%	150	19.1	6.5	5.1				9.9	19.1	37.0	25.0				26.8	5.1		$20,943	$1,334	$19,608

Frequently Asked Questions about James Ryder Randall Elementary

Is James Ryder Randall Elementary a good school?

James Ryder Randall Elementary ranks 600^th of 865 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of James Ryder Randall Elementary?

Students at James Ryder Randall Elementary are 51% African American, 43% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

What schools do graduates of James Ryder Randall Elementary attend?

Students who attend James Ryder Randall Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Stephen Decatur Middle
High : Surrattsville High

How many students attend James Ryder Randall Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 299 students attended James Ryder Randall Elementary.

What district is James Ryder Randall Elementary in?

Prince George's County Public Schools

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Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresJul 28, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCAP test scoresAug 26, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.