The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in English language arts. The lowest is 45% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Homestead/wakefield Elementary
Homestead/Wakefield Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in Bel Air, the county seat of Harford County. With a large enrollment for an elementary school, it draws from the town’s residential neighborhoods and functions as one of two public elementary schools in the community. The school is currently in the middle of a notable physical transformation: it is being rebuilt as a single-building campus, consolidating what had been a two-building arrangement where younger and older elementary students were housed separately. Families moving into the area or already in the attendance zone will experience a unified facility once construction is complete.
The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller but meaningful mix of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial students. About one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that places the school in a moderate range—not high poverty, but not entirely affluent either. The surrounding community of Bel Air combines a historic downtown with small shops and dining, a designated arts and entertainment district, and access to the Ma & Pa Trail for walking and biking. Housing values in the area are above the state average, reflecting a competitive market; renting is also costly. Major employers include a regional hospital and county and state government, giving the local economy a stable anchor.
On state assessments, the picture is mixed. Reading proficiency is a clear strength in the early grades: third and fourth graders show high rates of meeting or exceeding expectations on the MCAP English language arts test. Fifth-grade reading, while still above a simple majority mark, drops noticeably from the earlier grades. Math proficiency follows a steeper decline. Third graders perform well, but by fourth and fifth grades, proficiency is lower, hovering around half of students. Fifth-grade science results on the MISA are softer still, with fewer than half of students reaching the proficient level. These numbers come from a single year of testing, so it is not possible to say whether this pattern is typical or a one-year fluctuation. Parents looking for stronger upper-elementary math and science performance may want to follow up with the school on how those subjects are approached in the later grades.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate or high school outcome data to consider. Chronic absenteeism and discipline data were not available, and the school’s Title I status was not reported counselor. The comparison to other districts in Harford County was not possible because the set of county districts was too small to draw a meaningful contrast, so this account relies entirely on the school’s own reported numbers.
On the policy side, the district has implemented a new state-mandated attendance and behavioral framework called Keep Students In Class, which began with the 2024-25 school year. This applies to all Maryland schools and may change how absences and disciplinary actions are handled—something to discuss directly with the school if you have specific concerns.
Homestead/Wakefield is a large, traditional public elementary school in a growing town with a strong sense of community and a downtown-centered civic life. Its academic profile shows strong early literacy, a pattern of declining math performance in the upper grades, and a need for reinforcement in science. For families who prioritize a solid start in reading and are comfortable with a sizable school that is in the midst of a campus consolidation, it warrants a closer look. Those seeking a school with consistently high math and science results across all elementary grades should inquire further about the school’s curriculum and support structures in those areas.
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