Original Research by School Decision on Thomas Stone High School
Thomas Stone High School serves students in grades nine through twelve as part of the Charles County Public Schools system in Waldorf, Maryland. Waldorf is a large, unincorporated community in Southern Maryland that functions primarily as a bedroom suburb for the Washington, D.C. metro area. Its growth over recent decades has been dramatic, driven by a planned community and a highway-oriented commercial corridor. The area lacks a traditional downtown; daily life is organized around strip malls, car dealerships, and the St. Charles Towne Center mall. Housing values in the area sit near the national median, though rents have been rising faster than home prices in the last year. The district reported no major policy or facility changes that would alter a family’s experience in the near term.
The student body at Thomas Stone is sizable for a high school in this grade band. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The racial and ethnic composition reflects the broader community: Black students make up the largest group, followed by Hispanic students, then White students, students who identify with two or more races, and smaller shares of Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the records provided.
Academic performance information is limited. The most recent state assessment results, from the 2024–25 school year, cover only English language arts and show that about two-fifths of students met the proficiency standard. That figure represents a single point in time; no trend data exists because only one year of testing results was reported. State testing data from the 2020–21 school year, which used a different assessment and altered cut scores, was suppressed and not available for public release. No mathematics or science proficiency rates from recent years were reported in the available data. A parent considering Thomas Stone may want to ask the school directly about performance in subjects beyond English and about any year-over-year patterns.
Missing from the available record are several metrics that families often use to gauge a high school. The four-year graduation rate was not reported. Chronic absenteeism data was absent. No information was provided on Advanced Placement course offerings, dual-enrollment programs, career and technical education pathways, or college readiness supports. The school’s website and direct inquiry would be needed to fill in those areas.
Thomas Stone is set within the Charles County Public Schools district, which is the only public school district in Charles County. Because the district is alone in the county, no meaningful comparison to neighboring districts is possible using the data available.
For a family weighing options in Waldorf, Thomas Stone High School presents a mixed picture. It serves a large and diverse student population in a growing suburban corridor. Academic performance data is thin, with only one tested subject reported for the most recent year, and several key indicators of school quality are absent from the public record. Parents should expect to do some digging on their own to get a full sense of the school’s offerings, outcomes, and environment before making a decision.
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