The top reported proficiency rate is 82% in English language arts. The lowest is 43% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Chapel Hill Elementary
Chapel Hill Elementary serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade in the Perry Hall section of Baltimore County. It is a regular public school with a sizable enrollment for an elementary school, drawing from the surrounding suburban neighborhoods. The student body is racially and economically diverse. White students make up the largest share, followed by Black students and Asian students, with smaller groups of Hispanic students and students who identify as two or more races. Just under a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, placing the school in a moderately low-income range compared to many Maryland schools.
State testing results from the most recent school year show Chapel Hill Elementary performing at a solid level in English language arts and mathematics, with notably strong results in fourth grade. In third and fourth grade math, a large majority of students scored proficient or above. Fifth grade math results fell within a reported range, and the available data indicates a majority of students met the proficiency bar, though at a rate noticeably lower than the earlier grades. English language arts results were consistently strong across grades three through five, with fourth grade showing particularly high proficiency. Science testing, which is administered only in fifth grade, showed a lower share of students reaching proficiency. A family considering this school would want to follow up on science instruction specifically, as the gap between the strong literacy and math outcomes and the science results is wide enough to raise a question.
The data available covers only a single year of state assessment results, so there is no trend line to indicate whether the school is improving or declining. The district, Baltimore County Public Schools, has made several changes that directly affect Chapel Hill Elementary. A new elementary literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading was adopted district-wide in the 2023-2024 school year, a shift that touches every classroom. There is a new cell phone policy restricting use during the school day, though this primarily affects older students. The Blueprint for Maryland's Future is bringing increased state funding to the district, which has expanded pre-K access and is raising teacher salaries over time. These are structural changes that may strengthen the school's resources and instructional approach in coming years.
Perry Hall itself is an unincorporated suburb northeast of Baltimore, built around a long commercial strip along Belair Road. It grew rapidly through the 1970s and 1980s, and growth has since slowed. Recent development has focused on age-restricted housing. The community has no traditional downtown. The Perry Hall library and recreation office are local civic anchors, and the Perry Hall Improvement Association serves as the primary community organization. The area's housing values and rents are in line with the broader Baltimore County market, and the drive to central Baltimore is straightforward.
A parent evaluating Chapel Hill Elementary will find a school where most students are meeting state standards in reading and math, with a couple of grades performing at notably high levels. The weakness in fifth grade science is a specific point worth investigating with the school, particularly since science instruction at the elementary level often depends on how a school prioritizes it relative to tested subjects. The mix of students by race and income is more varied than in many suburban schools, which may matter to families who want a peer environment that reflects a range of backgrounds. As a K-through-5 school, there is no graduation rate or high school course data, and discipline or attendance data were not available for this report. A family looking for a neighborhood elementary school with above-average academic performance by most measures will find a solid fit here, though the science scores warrant a conversation with the principal or a visit to the school to understand how science is taught and where support might be needed.
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