The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mattawoman Middle School
Mattawoman Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade as a regular public school in Waldorf, a large unincorporated community in Charles County, Maryland. The school is part of Charles County Public Schools. It enrolls a substantial number of students for a middle school, with a student body that is predominantly Black, with notable shares of Hispanic, Asian, White, and multiracial students. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a marker that a parent may want to consider alongside the school’s academic resources.
State assessment results from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program and the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment give a clear picture of where student performance lands. In English language arts, roughly two out of five students met the proficient or above threshold in grades six and eight, and a slightly larger share did so in seventh grade. That places ELA in a moderate range. Mathematics proficiency is much lower. The share of students scoring proficient or above in math was in the single digits for sixth and eighth grades and in the low double digits for seventh grade. On the eighth-grade science and social studies assessments, the proficient share was also low. These are the facts of the data as reported; a parent investigating the school would want to learn more about the math curriculum and what interventions are in place for students who are behind grade level, as well as how the school supports middle-years learning in these subjects.
Waldorf is a sprawling, auto-oriented suburb of Washington, D.C., and one of the fastest-growing communities in Southern Maryland. Its built environment is dominated by subdivisions and strip commercial corridors, with no traditional downtown. The population increased sharply over several decades, fueled largely by the planned community of St. Charles. Housing values in the area are moderate for the broader D.C. region, and the local economy relies on retail, healthcare, construction, and commuters who travel to federal and professional services jobs. Public transit options include county bus service and commuter buses to downtown Washington, with a rapid transit line in planning. The school sits within this suburban landscape; families living in Waldorf typically drive to school and to most daily destinations.
Charles County Public Schools, the district, had no recent parent-relevant changes reported at the time this profile was assembled. That absence means a parent should rely on direct inquiries to the school and district to learn about any new programs, staffing shifts, or facility updates that might affect a student’s experience.
Mattawoman Middle School is a large middle school in a fast-growing Maryland suburb. Its student body is diverse and majority low-income. The academic profile shows stronger performance in ELA than in math and science, which are areas where the school faces clear challenges. A parent considering this school should look closely at how the school addresses those subjects, what support structures exist for students who need extra help, and whether the school’s offerings align with their child’s academic needs. The community context of Waldorf offers many of the amenities of a large suburb with access to the D.C. job market, but families should also consider the auto-dependent character of the area and the relatively modest home prices compared to closer-in suburbs.
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