The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in English language arts. The lowest is 47% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kemptown Elementary
Kemptown Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the Frederick County public school system, drawing from the unincorporated community of Monrovia, a rural-suburban pocket in the southeastern part of the county. The school sits along a two-lane state highway amid scattered single-family homes rather than a dense neighborhood, and Monrovia itself has no downtown, sidewalks near the school, or current commercial core. Residents have successfully fought off a large proposed mixed-use development called Monrovia Town Center, winning a series of court rulings that blocked it as recently as 2020, suggesting active community preservation of the area’s low-density character. Housing values in the surrounding ZIP code are well above the state average, and the typical home commands a substantial monthly mortgage payment, which together with the area’s rural feel points to a relatively affluent and homeowner-heavy population.
The school itself is a regular elementary building with a modest-sized enrollment. The student body is predominantly white, with representation from Hispanic, two-or-more-races, Asian, and Black students, in that order. Roughly one in nine students qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which is a low rate and signals that the school serves a comparatively well-off population on the whole. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs and supports available.
On state assessments, Kemptown Elementary shows a clear pattern of stronger performance in English language arts than in math, with science results trailing both. In reading, third graders and fifth graders posted notably high proficiency rates, while fourth graders were at a level that was closer to the midpoint. In math, third graders were solidly proficient, fourth graders dipped, and fifth graders’ results were reported as a range that lands not far from where third graders performed; overall the math picture is decent but less consistent than reading. Science, tested only in fifth grade, had the lowest proficiency of any tested subject. There is no multiyear trend data to compare against, since only one year of results was reported, but the single-year snapshot suggests a school that generally helps students meet expectations in reading, with more room for growth in math and science.
Because Kemptown Elementary is an elementary school that does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the comparison set of other districts in Frederick County was too small to produce a reliable academic ranking. For a family weighing this school, the key takeaway is that academic proficiency is solid in literacy and acceptable in math, with science being the weakest subject. The school’s small size and low poverty rate are typical of a well-resourced elementary in a higher-cost rural-suburban setting. A parent considering this school would likely be comfortable with its test results in reading, would want to understand how math instruction supports growth across the grade levels, and could expect the wider community to be tight-knit and development-resistant—a place where many families choose it precisely for the space and slower pace.
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