The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Havre De Grace Middle
Havre de Grace Middle School serves students in grades six through eight and sits within the Harford County Public Schools district. The school is located in the city of Havre de Grace, a small historic waterfront city at the mouth of the Susquehanna River. The city has a walkable historic district with a mix of residential neighborhoods, boutique shops, restaurants, and museums, and its downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The population has grown modestly in recent years, and median household income and educational attainment are both on the higher side. Schools in Havre de Grace are integrated into the town fabric rather than set apart on large campuses, so Havre de Grace Middle is part of the same community fabric as the high school and elementary schools nearby.
The school serves a student body that is predominantly white, with a substantial share of Black students and modest shares of Hispanic students and students who identify as two or more races. A significant portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, placing the school in a context where economic diversity is a real factor in the classroom. The school runs as a regular public school with no charter or magnet status, and it is part of a district that has recently implemented a state-mandated attendance and behavioral policy called Keep Students In Class, which affects how absences and disciplinary actions are handled across the district.
On state assessments, the picture varies notably by subject. In English language arts, roughly half of students met proficiency expectations in each grade level. This is a meaningful strength for the school, and it suggests that a solid portion of the student body is reading and writing at grade level. In math, the results are much softer. Proficiency rates decline by grade, and by eighth grade only a small share of students demonstrated proficiency on the MCAP. Science proficiency in eighth grade was also on the lower side, as was social studies. Taken together, these numbers point to a school where literacy instruction is a relative bright spot, but where math and science achievement are areas a parent may want to look into further with the school to understand what supports and interventions are in place.
Because Havre de Grace Middle is the only middle school in the Havre de Grace area and is part of a large county district, the data does not allow a direct comparison with other middle schools within the same county. The comparison set that was available was for districts, not individual schools, and it contained only a single district, so no meaningful positioning against peers is possible here.
The school offers the standard grade-level curriculum for middle school, and the data provided does not include information about course access, staffing ratios, or discipline rates. A parent interested in the availability of advanced coursework, special education services, or enrichment programs should contact the school directly.
The housing market in the Havre de Grace area has home values that are in line with the state average, and rents are also comparable to the broader region. The city has a mix of older historic homes and more recent residential development, and the waterfront and downtown areas are central to community life. The commute for many residents involves travel to other parts of Harford County or beyond, as a substantial number of workers commute out of the city.
The district is undertaking a capital project to rebuild Homestead-Wakefield Elementary School in Bel Air as a single-building campus, which is a change that affects school assignment for that area but does not directly impact Havre de Grace Middle. The broader policy shift around attendance and behavior under the Keep Students In Class law applies district-wide and may be a factor for families to be aware of.
For a family considering this school, the main takeaway is that English language arts performance is a genuine strength, while math and science scores suggest room for improvement. The school is one of several public schools in a compact, historic city, and the student body reflects a mix of economic backgrounds. The district is stable with some ongoing capital improvements and a new state attendance policy. Parents should plan to inquire directly about math instruction, special programs, and student support structures to get a full picture of what the school offers beyond the testing data.
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