Meadowvale Elementary, Havre De Grace MD

Original Research by School Decision on Meadowvale Elementary

Meadowvale Elementary is a regular public school in Havre de Grace, Maryland, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Harford County Public Schools system, the sole school district covering the entire county. The school sits within a small historic waterfront city at the mouth of the Susquehanna River, a community known for its marinas, museums, and a downtown listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city has seen modest population growth in recent years and draws tourism and maritime recreation, with a mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial streets. Median home values in the area are near the state average, and rents are moderate, making the housing market relatively accessible for a mid-Atlantic waterfront setting.

Academically, this school’s state assessment results from the most recent testing year paint an uneven picture. In English language arts, the share of students meeting proficiency standards varied across grades, with roughly half or just under half of students reaching that bar depending on grade level. Mathematics results were markedly lower, with the proportion of proficient students in the range of a quarter or fewer, and a notable drop in the upper grade. Science results for fifth graders were similarly modest. Only one year of data is available, so it is not possible to assess whether performance is trending upward or downward. Parents may want to ask the school about the specific supports in place for mathematics instruction and intervention.

The student body is majority white, with substantial Black and Hispanic populations and a notable share of students identifying as two or more races. About a quarter of the city’s adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, and median household income is typical for the region. A substantial portion of Meadowvale’s students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating economic diversity within the school community. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source materials.

Because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing was provided. The school does not have a charter or magnet designation, and no specific program offerings were listed.

At the district level, Harford County Public Schools is in the process of rebuilding one elementary campus in another part of the county, consolidating a two-building school into a single facility. A state-mandated attendance and behavioral policy called Keep Students In Class took effect for the 2024-2025 school year, which affects how absences and disciplinary actions are handled across all Maryland districts, including this one.

Overall, Meadowvale Elementary presents as a neighborhood elementary school in a compact historic town with a tourism-driven economy and moderate housing costs. Its academic record shows a divide between stronger English language arts results and weak mathematics and science performance, a pattern that families may wish to explore with the school’s leadership. The student population is diverse by race and economic background. No trend data or comparison to other schools in the county is available, as Harford County contains only one district, making benchmarking impossible. For a family considering this school, the key questions revolve around how the school supports students who are not yet proficient in math and science, and how the district’s broader changes might affect the day-to-day experience.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 326%

School 26% · district not reported

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 426%

School 26% · district not reported

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 518%

School 18% · district not reported

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 353%

School 53% · district not reported

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · district not reported

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 545%

School 45% · district not reported

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Science

Grade 527%

School 27% · district not reported

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

This schoolHarford County Public Schools, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income20%Higher-income37%17 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income16%Higher-income32%16 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income11%Higher-income35%24 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income11%Higher-income15%4 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income17%Higher-income24%7 pp gap