Ardmore Elementary, Springdale MD

Original Research by School Decision on Ardmore Elementary

Ardmore Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Springdale, a largely residential census-designated place in Prince George’s County. The community is predominantly composed of Black or African American residents, with a growing Hispanic population, and is overwhelmingly owner-occupied with single-family detached homes on suburban lots. There is very limited commercial presence within Springdale itself; most shopping and services lie along nearby corridors, and the area is car-dependent, with a substantial average commute time. Public transit is sparse, and the closest Metro station is several miles away. The school building sits on a separated campus, typical of the area.

The student body is sizable for an elementary school serving these grades. The population is predominantly Black, with a substantial Hispanic share and very small numbers of white, Asian, and multiracial students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a marker of the economic profile of the families the school serves.

State testing results from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program and the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment show where student achievement currently stands. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above varied across grades, with the highest rate in fifth grade, where roughly two out of five students met that bar. Third grade was near that level, while fourth grade was lower, with roughly one in five students proficient. In mathematics, proficiency rates were lower across all tested grades, with fourth grade below one in five and the highest rate, in third grade, still below one in three. On the fifth-grade science assessment, about three in ten students were proficient. These are the most recent results available, and because only a single year of data was reported, no trend can be determined.

The district, Prince George’s County Public Schools, has adopted a district-wide literacy initiative based on the science of reading, which represents a lasting curriculum shift affecting how elementary students are taught. The district also approved a budget increase that directs additional funding toward teacher salaries and student support services, and it conducted a boundary review in 2024 to address overcrowding, with changes proposed for the following school year that could affect which school a child is assigned to.

A parent looking at Ardmore Elementary will see a school serving a stable, car-dependent suburban community where a high proportion of families face economic challenges. The state testing data points to areas where the school is working to raise achievement, particularly in mathematics. Families may wish to discuss with the school how it supports students who are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks, and what specific interventions or programs are in place. The district’s literacy initiative and increased budget for student supports are relevant context for understanding the resources being directed toward the school. The boundary review could also be a factor for families living near attendance zone edges, as it may change school assignments in the near future.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 327%

School 27% · district not reported

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 413%

School 13% · district not reported

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 518%

School 18% · district not reported

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 337%

School 37% · district not reported

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 422%

School 22% · district not reported

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 539%

School 39% · district not reported

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Science

Grade 529%

School 29% · district not reported

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

This schoolPrince George's County Public Schools, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income18%Higher-income6%12 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income7%Higher-income22%15 pp gap