The top reported proficiency rate is 74% in English language arts. The lowest is 47% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cedar Grove Elementary
Cedar Grove Elementary is a regular public school in Germantown, Maryland, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Montgomery County Public Schools. The school sits within a large, planned suburban community that was originally designed around a dense downtown and six surrounding residential villages, each with its own schools and shopping. The area is notably diverse—one ranking named Germantown the most ethnically diverse city in the country in 2023—and is bisected by a major highway corridor lined with high-tech employers, including a U.S. Department of Energy office, several corporate headquarters, and a hospital built on the Montgomery College campus. The housing market in the area is expensive relative to national norms, and while there is a walkable town center with transit connections, most of the community is car-oriented.
Cedar Grove is a mid-sized elementary school by enrollment for its grade band. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The student body is racially and ethnically varied, with the largest group being Asian, followed by White, Hispanic, Black, and a small number of students of two or more races or American Indian or Alaska Native. English learner and special education counts were not available in the data used for this account.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year show that across third through fifth grades, majorities of students met the proficiency standard in English language arts. In third grade, a strong majority did so, and the same was true in fourth grade; fifth grade English results were also solid, with roughly two-thirds of students meeting the bar. In mathematics, the pattern was similar but with a noticeable dip in fourth grade, where just over half of students scored at the proficient level or above. Third and fifth grade math results were stronger, with a clear majority of students meeting the standard. The fifth grade science assessment, which is given once at the elementary level, showed that fewer than half of students reached proficiency—a softer spot that a parent may want to ask the school about, especially since it is the only tested subject where the majority did not meet the standard.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The state testing data covers a single year, so there is no multi-year trend to describe. The data did not allow a comparison to other schools in Montgomery County, as the comparison group had too few entities to produce a meaningful placement. No program offerings were included in the available information, so a reader interested in what enrichment or special programs the school provides should look to the school’s website or contact the office directly.
Montgomery County Public Schools, the district that operates Cedar Grove, launched a new elementary literacy curriculum in the 2023-24 school year, replacing the previous reading program. This district-wide change affects how all elementary students are taught to read. The district’s budget has grown steadily and now accounts for a substantial portion of Montgomery County’s total budget, a fiscal commitment that influences property taxes and school resources. The district is also conducting a systemwide boundary analysis as part of long-term facilities planning, which could eventually change attendance areas for some schools.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a solidly performing elementary school in a diverse, planned suburban setting with high housing costs and a strong district-level investment in curriculum updates. Academic results are generally positive, with the majority of students meeting state standards in reading and math across most grades, and with science being the area where fewer students are reaching the bar. The school’s size is manageable, and its student body reflects the broad ethnic diversity of the surrounding community. Parents who want the full picture on program offerings, after-school activities, and student support resources should ask the school directly, as those specifics were not captured in the data used here.
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