Chesapeake Bay Middle, Pasadena MD

Original Research by School Decision on Chesapeake Bay Middle

Chesapeake Bay Middle School is a regular public school serving grades six through eight in Pasadena, a suburban census-designated place in northern Anne Arundel County. The school is part of the county’s single unified district, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, and operates on a traditional middle school model with a student body that tilts heavily white, reflecting the surrounding community. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, and the share of students from Hispanic or Black backgrounds is modest. The school does not report the number of students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent seeking that information would need to ask the school directly.

On state assessments, the school’s performance varies notably by subject. In English language arts, a majority of students in each grade scored at the proficient level or above, with sixth and eighth graders posting stronger results than seventh graders. Math proficiency is much weaker: roughly a quarter to a third of students met the standard, and the share dips as the grades advance, with eighth graders below a quarter. In science—tested only in grade eight—a bit more than a third of students were proficient, while in eighth-grade social studies about half cleared the bar. A separate algebra I assessment, likely taken by a subset of students, showed a higher proficiency rate, but the data covers a single year only, so no trend can be assessed. There is no multi-year trend data for any subject because the school’s reported results begin in the 2024-25 school year.

The student body is large for a middle school, with enrollment spread roughly evenly across the three grades. Nearly all students are white, with a small Hispanic population and even smaller Black and Asian shares; a small percentage identify as two or more races. The school is not a charter, not a magnet, and does not qualify for Title I funding under federal programs, according to the available records.

Pasadena itself is a car-dependent commuter community with no traditional downtown. It experienced rapid population growth in the years leading up to the 2020 census and has a very low housing vacancy rate. Home values in the area run above both the state and national medians, and monthly rents are substantial relative to household income. The typical commute time is long, consistent with the area’s role as a bedroom community for Baltimore and the broader Washington corridor. The school sits on Mountain Road, a commercial corridor, and draws its attendance zone from the surrounding subdivisions and peninsulas.

At the district level, Anne Arundel County Public Schools recently opened Severn Run High School in the western part of the county, which redrew some attendance boundaries for families in that growing area. No other parent-relevant changes were found in publicly available sources. For families considering Chesapeake Bay Middle, the academic picture is mixed: the school delivers solid ELA results but struggles in math, and no data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing is available in the public record. A parent wanting a fuller sense of student support or school climate would need to visit, talk to current families, or ask the school directly for that information.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 630%

School 30% · district not reported

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 725%

School 25% · district not reported

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 821%

School 21% · district not reported

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 665%

School 65% · district not reported

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 754%

School 54% · district not reported

▲ 7 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 862%

School 62% · district not reported

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Science

Grade 837%

School 37% · district not reported

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 853%

School 53% · District 47% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

This schoolAnne Arundel County Public Schools, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income40%Higher-income64%24 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income14%Higher-income35%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income21%Higher-income36%14 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 7Lower-income6%Higher-income18%12 pp gap