The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Wiley H. Bates Middle
Wiley H. Bates Middle School is a regular public school in Annapolis serving grades six through eight, part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools system. The school is located on Chase Street in the city’s core. Because it serves only middle school grades, there is no graduation rate to report or AP course offerings to consider, and the school does not offer career or dual-credit pathways that a high school would.
The student body of Bates Middle is diverse. White students and Hispanic students each make up roughly a third of enrollment, with Black students accounting for about a quarter of the population, alongside small shares of Asian students, students of two or more races, and a very small number of American Indian or Alaska Native students. More than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a signal that a substantial share of families come from lower-income backgrounds. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learner status was not available, so it is not possible to assess those dimensions of the school’s support system from the evidence at hand.
On state assessments, Bates Middle’s results differ by subject and grade. In English language arts, the school posts results that are moderate for a public middle school. Around half of sixth and eighth graders and a slightly higher share of seventh graders scored proficient or above on the MCAP. In social studies, about two in five eighth graders reached the proficient threshold. Science results were somewhat lower, with roughly three in ten eighth graders scoring proficient on the MISA.
The math results are the area that will draw attention. Across all three tested grades, proficiency rates were low, and the eighth-grade proficiency rate was notably weak. Because an eighth-grade math assessment typically reflects a student’s grasp of algebra-ready concepts, the combination of that low outcome with the school’s strong Spanish-speaking population raises a question about whether the school’s math instruction and supports are matched to the student body. A parent evaluating this school will want to ask directly about mathematics intervention programs, how the school differentiates instruction across skill levels, and what the school’s own analysis of these results indicates.
Housing in Annapolis is expensive relative to national norms. Buyers face a market where the typical home value and the monthly mortgage cost are both well above the national median. Renters are in a similar position, with rents high relative to the national median household income. That market context is important context for any family considering moving into the Bates Middle attendance area.
Annapolis itself is the state capital and county seat, a compact, walkable historic city with a concentration of government, college, and maritime activity. Downtown is dense and pedestrian-friendly; beyond the historic core, the development pattern becomes more auto-oriented and suburban. Major highways connect the city to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., each about half an hour away. The city has modest land constraints—it is the smallest state capital by land area—and has seen modest population growth in recent years. The district recently opened Severn Run High School in the western part of the county, a change that redrew some attendance boundaries, but the direct effect on Bates Middle’s feeder pattern depends on the specific zone a family lives in.
The neighbor comparison that would position Bates Middle against other districts in Anne Arundel County was not actionable because the cohort was too small; the comparison set requires multiple districts to be useful. That means the reader cannot rely on a rank or bucket placement and must instead evaluate the school on its own reported results.
For a family looking at this school, the English language arts results are a recognizable middle-ground strength. The math results are a clear soft spot that warrants further inquiry, particularly for a parent whose child struggles with math or needs acceleration. The school serves a diverse and majority low-income population, and a family should consider whether the school’s programs and culture align with their child’s needs in that context. Without data on student discipline, attendance, staffing ratios, or course access—none of which were provided—additional layers of the student experience cannot be described.
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