The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Harriet R. Tubman Elementary
Harriet R. Tubman Elementary is a regular public school in the heart of Gaithersburg, Maryland, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of Montgomery County Public Schools, one of the largest and most well-resourced districts in the state. The school is not a charter or magnet and does not appear to have a Title I designation in the available records.
The student body is diverse and reflects the broader Gaithersburg community. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that many families face economic challenges. The largest racial or ethnic group is Hispanic, followed by a smaller but still sizable Black population, with smaller shares of Asian, White, and multiracial students. Data on English learner status and special education identification was not provided, so a parent seeking information on those supports should contact the school directly.
State testing results from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program are available for math, English language arts, and science across multiple grade levels, and they paint a clear picture. Proficiency rates in both math and ELA are low. In math, rates decline as grade levels rise, and in science the proficiency rate is very low. No multi-year trend data is available beyond a single year, so it is not possible to say whether performance is improving or declining. The school sits in a county where comparison data across districts was too limited to place it relative to its immediate neighbors, meaning the context here is internal: these are the school’s own results, and they are modest.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no high school graduation rate or college readiness data. Information on discipline, staffing, course access, and attendance was also missing from the data set, so a parent interested in school climate or support structures would want to follow up directly with the school or district.
Gaithersburg itself is a large and growing city with a mix of historic residential neighborhoods, modern planned communities, and major corporate and biotechnology campuses. The city is home to several federal research facilities and large employers, and it has a well-established commuter rail and bus network connecting to the Washington, D.C. region. Housing in the area has a value above the national median, and the local rental market is similarly elevated. For families, this is a community with economic opportunity and diversity but also with higher housing costs.
Within the district, Montgomery County Public Schools has recently adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum, and it continues to study school boundaries as part of long-term facilities planning. The district’s operating budget represents a significant portion of the county’s spending, reflecting ongoing fiscal commitment. These district-level factors may affect how resources and curriculum are implemented at Tubman Elementary.
For a parent or resident considering this school, the most straightforward takeaway is that Harriet R. Tubman Elementary serves a high-poverty, highly diverse student population and that its state test results are below what many families might expect to see in Montgomery County. A parent would want to ask about the specific academic interventions, English learner supports, enrichment programs, and school climate that are in place, as these details were not available from the data here. The school may be a good fit for families who value a diverse community and who are prepared to engage actively with the school to understand how their child’s individual needs will be met.
See more original research from School Decision →