The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 40% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Beall Elementary
Beall Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in Frostburg, Maryland, part of Allegany County Public Schools. The school is located on College Avenue, placing it within walking distance of Frostburg State University and the town’s downtown core. Frostburg itself is a small Appalachian mountain town with a character shaped heavily by the university, which enrolls thousands of students and serves as the dominant local employer. The town’s economy historically relied on coal mining and fire brick manufacturing, but today retail, tourism along the Great Allegheny Passage hiking and biking trail, and the university drive the local scene. Families considering this area should know that the housing market reflects a modest, affordable context relative to state and national benchmarks. Homes in Frostburg are priced well below the Maryland median, and the estimated monthly mortgage cost runs lower than statewide norms, though this comes with tradeoffs in local economic opportunity.
Beall Elementary enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a smaller share of students identifying as two or more races and very small numbers from other racial and ethnic groups. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that many families face economic pressures. The school serves a full range of elementary grades, from pre-kindergarten through fifth, and the enrollment spans those years with a relatively balanced distribution across grades. The school is not a charter or magnet school, and its Title I status was not reported in the available data.
On state assessments, Beall Elementary’s results show a mixed picture that parents will want to examine closely. In English language arts, proficiency rates across third through fifth grades fell in a range that places roughly half of students or a little more at or above the state’s proficiency benchmark. Fourth grade showed the strongest performance in this subject, while third grade was lower. In mathematics, proficiency rates were more consistent across grades but landed below half of students meeting the bar in every tested grade. On the fifth-grade science assessment, proficiency was lower still, with fewer than half of students reaching the proficient level. There was only one year of data available for trend analysis, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent an improvement or decline. The school has no high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. The comparison to other schools in Allegany County could not be made because the county has only one school district, so the proficiency results stand without a local peer benchmark.
Civil rights data, including discipline rates and staffing information, was not available in the provided records. Similarly, specific program offerings at Beall Elementary were not detailed, though the district as a whole operates a Chinese Partial Immersion Program and has proposed extending it to the high school level. The district has also initiated an Elementary Schools Facility Utilization Study, which could lead to future changes in attendance boundaries or school configurations across the county.
For a family evaluating Beall Elementary, the central consideration is whether the academic results match their expectations. Proficiency levels in reading and math are below the midpoint of what the state reports, and science results are notably weaker. A parent may want to ask the school about its approach to math and science instruction, what supports are available for students who are not yet meeting proficiency, and how the school addresses the needs of its economically diverse population. The setting offers a distinct advantage for families who value a college-town atmosphere: the school sits near Frostburg State University, and the town’s Main Street, Arts and Entertainment District, and trail network create an active, walkable downtown that many small towns lack. The tight integration of the university and the town means that children grow up in a place where higher education is a visible, everyday presence. For a family that prioritizes a tight-knit, historic Appalachian community with a low cost of housing and is comfortable engaging directly with the school on academic performance, Beall Elementary fits that profile. For a family seeking top-tier test scores or a wide array of specialized elementary programs, the available data suggests this school may not be the best match, and further investigation into the school’s instructional strategies and student support systems would be warranted before making a decision.
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