The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Waverley Elementary
Waverley Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the city of Frederick, Maryland, as part of Frederick County Public Schools. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it draws from a surrounding neighborhood that is part of a growing and economically diverse mid-sized city. The student body is large for an elementary school, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across the grade levels. A substantial majority of students come from low-income households, as measured by free and reduced-price meal eligibility. The demographic composition is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, white, Asian, and multiracial students. This enrollment profile shapes the peer environment, and families considering Waverley should be aware that the school serves a high-need population.
On statewide assessments in the most recent testing year, academic performance was low compared to typical expectations. In mathematics, the share of students scoring proficient in third, fourth, and fifth grades was modest, and the rates declined slightly from third to fifth grade. English language arts results were somewhat higher than math but still reflected that only a minority of students met the state’s proficiency benchmark. Science results in fifth grade were particularly low, with very few students reaching proficiency. These scores are a soft spot, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what academic interventions and supports are in place. Data on chronic absenteeism and staffing were not available in this profile, so it is not possible to assess those factors directly from the information provided. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate applies.
The community context of Waverley Elementary is shaped by the city of Frederick, the county seat of Frederick County. Frederick has a historic downtown with a well-known skyline of church spires and a creek that runs through the city center. It is a crossroads location, and the city’s population has been growing noticeably in recent years. The largest employer in the county is Fort Detrick, a U.S. Army bioscience and communications research installation that also hosts the National Cancer Institute and a national laboratory for cancer research. Other civic anchors include a municipal airport for general aviation, a golf course, and a small lake in the downtown area. Home values in the immediate area are around the national median, and rents are typical for a mid-Atlantic city of this size. The broader housing market in Frederick County has seen modest changes, and the local economy has experienced low unemployment.
For families living within Waverley’s attendance zone, the school offers a neighborhood setting within a district that did not have any major publicly reported recent changes such as boundary shifts, program overhauls, or large budget referenda. The absence of such news can mean stability, but it also means that any plans for future improvement or resource shifts are not evident from what is available here. The overall picture is of a large elementary school serving a predominantly low-income and Hispanic student population, with academic outcomes that are well below state averages across tested subjects. A family considering Waverley may want to learn more about the specific instructional approaches used, the availability of enrichment programs, and how the school supports students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards. The city of Frederick itself offers a range of amenities and a growing employment base, which may be relevant to families weighing the broader community context alongside the school’s academic profile.
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