The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Edgewater Elementary
Edgewater Elementary is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Anne Arundel County, located in the suburban census-designated place of Edgewater, Maryland, southwest of Annapolis on the south side of the tidal South River. The school sits in an area of residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors, with Maryland Route 2 as the main spine. There is no traditional downtown; schools, including Edgewater Elementary, are on separate campuses spread across the community.
The school enrolls a student population that is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic share and smaller numbers of students who identify as two or more races, Black, or Asian. A modest share of students qualifies for free or reduced-price meals. The school operates as a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation, and data on Title I status was not available.
State testing results, from Maryland’s MCAP and MISA assessments, show an uneven pattern across grade levels and subjects. In English language arts, third graders demonstrated a proficiency rate near the majority level. Fourth graders were about the same, while fifth graders were below half. In math, the pattern was similar: third and fourth graders each posted proficiency rates around half, but fifth graders fell to under a third. Science results, available only for fifth graders, matched that lower math performance. The single year of data available means there is no trend to compare against, so it is not clear whether these results represent a typical year or an outlier. A parent may want to ask the school how performance has shifted over time and what supports are in place for the older elementary grades, where proficiency drops off.
The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and course access were not provided, leaving gaps in the picture of day-to-day school climate and support resources. Civil rights data was also absent.
Edgewater itself is a car-oriented suburb. The area has seen steady retail and residential development in recent years, though some population estimates suggest a recent modest decline. Housing values in the school’s ZIP code are above state and national benchmarks, and the local market tilts toward homeownership over renting. The area’s median household income was above the national median. For a family considering a move, the combination of suburban development patterns and above-average housing costs suggests a community of established homes and newer construction, with a relatively high cost of entry.
The district, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, recently opened a new comprehensive middle school, Severn Run High School, in the growing western part of the county, which redrew some attendance boundaries. That change does not directly affect Edgewater Elementary’s catchment area but signals that the district is responding to growth pressures in other parts of the county.
For a family trying to understand Edgewater Elementary, the takeaway is mixed. The school’s early elementary grades, particularly third grade ELA, show a foundation of proficiency, but performance in fifth grade and in math across the upper grades is weaker, and the lack of trend data makes it hard to know if this is a recent shift or a consistent pattern. The community is a suburban, car-dependent area with a relatively high cost of living and no walkable center. Parents who value a straightforward neighborhood elementary school in a residential setting may find it a fit, but those concerned about the drop in upper-grade performance or wanting more detailed information on student support and school climate will find less to go on in the available data.
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