The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 13% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hilltop Elementary
Hilltop Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Glen Burnie, a large suburban census-designated place south of Baltimore. The school sits in a part of Anne Arundel County defined by commercial strips, mid-rise office buildings, and residential subdivisions rather than a traditional downtown core. Glen Burnie has grown steadily over recent decades, and its mix of shopping centers, light rail access, and proximity to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport shapes daily life for many families. Housing values in the area fall near the national median, and rents have been rising, reflecting broader regional pressures.
The student body is diverse and economically varied. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a figure that gives a sense of the economic mix families will find here. Racially and ethnically, the school draws from Black, Hispanic, and white communities in roughly comparable shares, with smaller groups of Asian and multiracial students. For a family weighing the peer environment, this is a school where children will encounter a wide range of backgrounds and economic circumstances.
On state assessments, Hilltop Elementary's results are a clear weak spot. The Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, known as MCAP, measures reading and math proficiency in grades three through five, and fifth graders also take the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment. Across all three tested grades, the share of students reaching proficiency in math was low, and the figure dropped further in each successive grade, a pattern a parent may want to discuss with the school. In English language arts, proficiency rates were in a similar range across the three grades. Science results in fifth grade were low as well. These numbers represent a single year's snapshot, and the data available does not include prior years for context, so it is not possible to say whether this is a trend or a one-year picture. A parent interested in academic performance will want to ask the school directly about its instructional strategies and any recent changes.
Because Hilltop Elementary serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no course access data for high school programs like Advanced Placement or career and technical pathways. The school is a regular public school within the Anne Arundel County Public Schools system, which recently opened a new comprehensive high school in the western part of the county, a sign of enrollment growth in the broader district. No information was available on disciplinary rates, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism, so a full picture of school climate and resource levels is incomplete from the data on hand.
For families, Hilltop Elementary offers a neighborhood elementary option in a growing suburban area with transit access and commercial amenities. The academic performance data gives real reason for caution, and the school's low proficiency rates are a significant factor to weigh. It serves a diverse population and a high proportion of students who qualify for meal assistance, circumstances that many families value for the real-world exposure they provide. The lack of additional data on programs, staffing, and attendance means a parent should visit, observe classrooms, and talk to the principal and other parents to fill in gaps this profile cannot cover.
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