The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in English language arts. The lowest is 46% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary
Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary is a regular public school in Silver Spring, Maryland, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district. The school is situated in a densely populated and diverse corner of the county, within a short drive of downtown Silver Spring and the border with Washington, D.C. The housing market in the area commands a high price, reflecting the broader Montgomery County real estate landscape. A substantial share of students qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which is one indicator of the economic diversity of the families the school serves.
The student body is characterized by its racial and ethnic diversity. Black students make up the largest group, followed by a significant population of Hispanic students, a smaller but notable share of Asian students, and a modest number of white students. Students who identify as two or more races make up the remainder. The school’s enrollment skews larger in the upper elementary grades, with its fourth and fifth grade classes each having roughly twice as many students as any of the primary grades. This size difference is a present-day characteristic a parent would want to be aware of, as it shapes class sizes and the social dynamics within each grade level.
Academically, the school’s state assessment results present a mixed picture. In both English language arts and math, the proportion of students scoring proficient or above varies notably by grade level. Fourth-grade students posted comparatively stronger results in both subjects, with a larger share meeting the proficiency bar than their peers in the tested third and fifth grades. Fifth-grade science results were lower than the English and math outcomes at that same grade level. While the school shows a clear upward trajectory from third to fourth grade in both subjects, the fourth-to-fifth grade trend is flatter in English and declines in math. A parent looking at these numbers would want to ask the school about the instructional approaches and support systems in place for the third and fifth grade levels, and how the school addresses the gap between its highest and lowest performing tested grades.
Because Drew Elementary only serves through fifth grade, there are no high school metrics such as graduation rates or advanced course participation to report. The school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades cannot be compared directly to other Montgomery County elementary schools from the data available, as the cohort of comparable schools within the county was too small for that analysis. This is a gap in the comparative context that a parent would want to fill by asking the district or school for its standing among similar elementary schools.
The broader educational environment is shaped by Montgomery County Public Schools, a large suburban district that has recently implemented a new elementary literacy curriculum across all its schools. This district-wide change directly affects how reading is taught at Drew Elementary and is worth asking the school about in terms of training, materials, and early results. The district also continues a system-wide boundary analysis as part of its long-term facilities planning, a process that could eventually affect which elementary school a child in this attendance zone attends. The district commands a large share of the county’s budget, a fiscal commitment that shapes local property taxes and resources for schools.
Drew Elementary sits within Silver Spring, an unincorporated edge city with a walkable downtown core anchored by the Paul Sarbanes Transit Center, the AFI Silver Theatre, and a mix of residential and commercial development. The area is one of the most populous places in Maryland and is notably diverse, with large foreign-born communities from Central America, Africa, and Asia. The surrounding residential neighborhoods inside the Capital Beltway offer a variety of housing stock, but the high home values and rents put significant financial pressure on families. The area’s extensive park system along four creek valleys and the upcoming Purple Line light rail connection add to the quality of life but do not directly change the academic picture at the school. A family considering Drew Elementary should weigh its heterogeneous student community and the uneven proficiency results by grade, and should ask the school directly about the supports that help students make the transition from third to fourth grade and then sustain that momentum into fifth.
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