The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Arrowhead Elementary
Arrowhead Elementary serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in the unincorporated area of Greater Upper Marlboro, part of Prince George’s County Public Schools. The school is a regular public school and sits in a context shaped by the county seat’s government-centered economy and a surrounding area where housing developments are increasingly replacing horse farms. The town of Upper Marlboro itself is small, compact, and dominated by county government offices, while the broader area the school draws from is car-dependent and suburban in character.
The school’s enrollment is in the mid range for an elementary school serving these grade levels. Its student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with small shares of White, Asian, and multiracial students. A substantial share of the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price meals. Data on the share of students with disabilities or who are English learners was not reported.
State assessment results from the most recent school year show math proficiency rates well below the state average. Across all three tested grades, the portion of students scoring at the proficient level was in the single digits for third and fifth grades and just above that for fourth grade. Reading proficiency rates were higher but still low in comparison with statewide expectations: just over a quarter of third graders and roughly two-fifths of fourth and fifth graders scored proficient. Science results in fifth grade, where the state administers the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment, were also low, with about one in nine students reaching proficiency.
These are difficult numbers for a parent to read. They suggest that the majority of students at Arrowhead Elementary are not meeting grade-level benchmarks in core subjects. A parent considering this school would want to ask the school directly about the interventions, supports, and strategies in place for students who are below grade level, and about how the school tracks progress over time. Only one year of testing data was available for this analysis, so there is no trend line to show whether performance is moving up or down.
The district, Prince George’s County Public Schools, has recently adopted a new evidence-based literacy curriculum for elementary schools and completed a boundary review to address overcrowding, with changes proposed for the coming school year. These district-level shifts may affect what happens inside Arrowhead Elementary’s classrooms, particularly in early reading instruction. The district also approved a budget increase directed toward teacher salaries and student support services.
The school’s community context is one of modest growth and some uncertainty. The surrounding Greater Upper Marlboro area continues to see new housing development, but the future of the county seat itself is under discussion, with proposals to relocate county government operations to Largo. That potential move could reshape the local economy and population over time.
For a family weighing options, Arrowhead Elementary presents a clear picture on paper: a heavily tested, high-needs student body and academic outcomes that fall well short of state averages. The school’s location in a suburban area with access to county government employment and a mix of older single-family homes and newer subdivisions means that housing in the attendance zone may be more affordable than in closer-in Washington suburbs. But the academic data is the central fact here. A parent would need to explore what the school offers beyond the test scores to decide if it is the right fit.
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