The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in English language arts. The lowest is 71% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Kensington Parkwood Elementary
Kensington Parkwood Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Montgomery County, Maryland, within the small historic town of Kensington. It is a neighborhood school in the county’s large public school system, and its academic profile reflects a school where a strong majority of students consistently meet state proficiency standards on the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP).
In reading, across grades three through five, the share of students scoring proficient or above was solid and consistently high. Math results were similarly strong, with the lowest rate still representing a majority of students meeting the bar. In grade five science, measured by the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA), the reported proficiency range sat below the levels seen in math and reading, a softer spot that a parent may want to look into further with the school. Because this is an elementary school, no graduation rate or high school metrics apply.
The student body enrolls roughly several hundred children, a size common for a mid-sized elementary in this region. The demographic composition is predominantly white, with a sizable representation of Hispanic students, a noticeable share of Asian students, smaller groups of Black students and students identifying as two or more races, and a negligible number of Native American and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals is low, suggesting a relatively affluent community overall.
Kensington itself is a planned Victorian garden suburb from the 1890s, a bedroom community for commuters to Washington, D.C. The town is walkable around its historic train station, with a Saturday farmers’ market, a small commercial corridor known as Antique Row, and easy access to Rock Creek Park. The school is not located in the half-square-mile town center but on a separate campus in the broader Kensington area. Housing values in the ZIP code are well above the state and national medians, and rental costs are substantial, reflecting the desirability of the location near the capital. The town’s growth trajectory emphasizes preservation over expansion, with much of its core designated as a historic district.
Montgomery County Public Schools, the parent district, has recently adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum, shifting to Benchmark Advance and HMH Into Reading beginning in the 2023-24 school year. This district-wide change affects how reading is taught at Kensington Parkwood. The district’s operating budget has grown steadily, now accounting for roughly half of the county’s total budget, a sign of lasting fiscal commitment that also shapes local property tax burdens. Additionally, MCPS has been conducting a systemwide boundary analysis as part of long-term facilities planning, which could eventually affect attendance zones, though no specific changes for this school have been publicly reported.
The comparison data that would place Kensington Parkwood’s performance against other schools in Montgomery County is not available in a usable form for this profile, so a direct neighbor comparison cannot be drawn.
Overall, Kensington Parkwood Elementary offers a high-performing academic environment in a sought-after suburban community with historic character and strong ties to Washington, D.C. The student body is economically advantaged by area standards, academic results are solid across tested subjects, and the school benefits from being part of a large district with significant resources. The softer science scores relative to math and reading are the main area where a parent might want to ask the school for more detail on curriculum and support.
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