Summary:
This analysis examines six elementary schools in zip code 20715 (Bowie, MD), all part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district, serving grades K-5 with a combined enrollment of about 2,443 students, and reveals a wide performance spectrum within a single community.
Whitehall Elementary and Yorktown Elementary are the standout performers, both earning 4-star ratings and leading the zip code in academic achievement. Yorktown posts the highest English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency at 68.2%, while Whitehall excels with a 59.6% ELA rate and the lowest chronic absenteeism (14.5%). In contrast, Rockledge Elementary faces significant challenges, with the lowest math proficiency (14.6%) and the highest free/reduced lunch rate (62.38%). Woodmore Elementary stands out for achieving the highest science proficiency (43.4%) despite a high poverty rate, while Kenilworth Elementary spends the most per student ($22,824) but ranks fifth in overall performance, showing spending alone doesn't guarantee results.
Key metrics show the zip code outperforms the district in every subject, with an average math proficiency of 30.7% (vs. district 13.7%) and ELA proficiency of 55.6% (vs. district 38.9%). A notable "5th-grade math cliff" appears across all schools, with scores dropping sharply from 4th to 5th grade—for example, at Tulip Grove Elementary, 4th-grade math is 44.4% but falls to 18.4% in 5th grade. This suggests a systemic curriculum challenge rather than a school-specific issue, making it a key area for parents to investigate when considering these schools.
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