The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in English language arts. The lowest is 26% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on William S. James Elementary
Abingdon is a census-designated place in Harford County with a rural-suburban character, sitting along the Bush River just south of Interstate 95. It is a commuter community for Baltimore and Aberdeen Proving Ground, and a notable share of residents are military families. The area is car-dependent, with housing clustered near the highway and no traditional downtown core, though it offers access to several large parks and a transit bus service. The public schools serving Abingdon include William S. James Elementary, which feeds into Patterson Mill High School for many of its students.
William S. James Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade. Its enrollment is substantially white, with meaningful shares of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. A substantial portion of families qualify for free or reduced-price meals, giving the school a moderate level of economic diversity. Information on special education and English learner populations was not available.
State testing results are available from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program for grades three through five in math and English language arts, and for science in grade five. In English language arts, performance is solid: in third grade, more than half of students scored at the proficient level or above; fourth grade proficiency is notably higher, with nearly two-thirds reaching that bar; fifth grade remains above the halfway mark. Mathematics results are more mixed: third grade shows about half proficient, while fourth grade is lower. Fifth grade math results are reported within a range that lands in the mid-forties. Science proficiency in fifth grade is a soft spot, with roughly a quarter of students meeting the standard. A parent may want to explore this further with the school. Only one year of data was available for this assessment, so no trend can be described. The school cannot be compared to other Harford County schools because the comparison dataset had too few districts to produce a meaningful benchmark.
Housing in the Abingdon area carries a price that sits a bit below the state average and above the national average. Rent is a meaningful portion of typical household income, and the cost of buying a home with a conventional mortgage is higher than renting, which is common for many places in this region. The broader economic context shows a moderate national unemployment rate and steady mortgage rates.
Harford County Public Schools is undergoing a capital project: Homestead-Wakefield Elementary in Bel Air is being rebuilt as a single-building campus, which will affect families in that feeder area. Also, starting with the 2024-2025 school year, a state law called Keep Students In Class changed attendance and behavioral expectations across all Maryland districts, so parents will see policy shifts in how absences and disciplinary actions are handled.
William S. James Elementary provides a primarily academic program for elementary grades in a community shaped by military and commuter families. Its English language arts results stand as a clear strength, while math results are around the midpoint and science represents an area where the school may be focusing improvement. The school fits families who want a regular public elementary with a moderate-sized, largely white student body, a share of families with economic need, and a setting that is neither fully rural nor densely suburban. Those considering it should note that only one year of state assessment data is available, so longer-term trends cannot be assessed from the current record.
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