The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Scotchtown Hills Elementary
Scotchtown Hills Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Laurel, a largely residential city with a historic downtown that was founded as a mill town and later became a commuter hub for Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The school is part of Prince George's County Public Schools, a large district that recently approved an operating budget increase directed toward teacher salaries and student support, adopted a district-wide literacy initiative aligned with the science of reading, and conducted a boundary review to address overcrowding that may affect attendance zones going forward.
The student body is diverse. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The largest demographic groups are Hispanic students and Black students, with smaller shares of white students, Asian students, students identifying with two or more races, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. The school does not have magnet or charter status, and its Title I status was not reported. Enrollment by grade is distributed fairly evenly from kindergarten through fifth grade, with a smaller pre-kindergarten cohort.
State assessment results from the 2024-2025 school year provide a picture of academic performance that warrants a close look from prospective families. In English language arts, proficiency rates across third, fourth, and fifth grades fell within a range that is below the statewide average, with the highest rate in third grade and a decrease in each subsequent grade. In mathematics, proficiency rates were lower than in reading across all tested grades, with the highest rate in third grade and a decline through fourth and fifth grades, where the rate was particularly low. Science results for fifth graders showed a small share of students meeting the proficiency standard.
The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was not available. A multi-year trend analysis was not possible because only a single year of assessment data was provided.
Housing in the area around the school reflects a modestly priced market relative to some neighboring communities. Typical home values sit near the national benchmark, and rents are such that a typical household would spend a meaningful share of income on housing. The broader economic context shows a moderate mortgage rate environment and an unemployment rate in line with national figures.
Laurel itself offers a historic Main Street district with the Laurel Museum and the Phelps Community Center, a park preserving dinosaur fossils, and a MARC train station providing rail access to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. These civic anchors give the town a sense of place, though the school's immediate neighborhood context is not detailed in the available data.
For a family considering Scotchtown Hills Elementary, the central takeaway revolves around the state test results. Proficiency rates, particularly in math and science, are areas where parents will want to understand what supports the school offers. The district's recent literacy initiative may influence reading instruction in the elementary years, which is a factor to explore. The ongoing boundary review could also affect which students are assigned here in future years. This is a school where direct conversations with the principal and classroom teachers about academic intervention and enrichment would be especially valuable.
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