The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Benjamin Tasker Middle
Benjamin Tasker Middle School is a regular public school in Bowie serving grades six through eight. It sits within the Prince George’s County Public Schools system, a large suburban district that recently approved a budget increase and launched a district-wide literacy initiative aligned with the science of reading. The school itself is a sizable middle school, drawing students from the surrounding residential neighborhoods that make up much of Bowie.
Academically, the picture is uneven. On the Maryland state assessments, reading and writing scores are a clear relative strength. In each grade level a majority of students scored proficient or above. That level is solid for a middle school. Math proficiency, however, is much lower and drops across the grades, with only a modest share of students meeting the bar. Science and social studies results for eighth graders fall in between, with roughly a third of students proficient. A parent looking at this school will likely see a language arts program that performs near the midpoint of expectations while math is a clear area where the school is struggling. There is a note of contrast in the advanced math results: among students who take Algebra 1 or Geometry, proficiency rates are strong, indicating that some students are on accelerated pathways and performing well there.
The student body is diverse. The largest group is Black, followed by Hispanic students and a smaller White population, with smaller shares of Asian and multiracial students. Slightly more than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a mixed-income corridor. Special education and English learner populations were not reported in the available data, so a family with those needs may want to ask the school directly about support structures. No chronic absenteeism or discipline data were available in the material provided, which limits a full view of the school environment.
Bowie itself is a large, primarily residential suburb east of Washington, D.C. It grew rapidly as a planned community in the 1960s and remains car-dependent, with commercial life concentrated at Bowie Town Center and along the highways. Old Town Bowie retains a historic core, but most civic and daily activity is dispersed. The city has extensive parks and open space, including ball fields, an ice arena, and multiple community centers. A MARC train station connects to Washington. Housing values in the zip code are elevated relative to the national median, and rents are also high. The affordability picture, with a price-to-income ratio well above average, suggests this is a relatively expensive housing market, which may factor into a family’s decision about the area.
At the district level, Prince George’s County Public Schools has been investing in teacher salaries and support services. A boundary review conducted in 2024 may affect attendance zones in the near term, so families moving into the area should confirm which school serves their address. The district has also adopted a new reading curriculum, which may influence instruction at Benjamin Tasker.
No information was available on specific programs such as arts, music, athletics, or elective pathways. A parent interested in those offerings would need to follow up with the school or district. State testing participation rates were also not reported, though the tested counts suggest large numbers of students took the assessments. This is a middle school only, so there is no graduation rate to report.
In sum, Benjamin Tasker Middle School serves a large, diverse student population in a stable suburban setting. Its language arts performance is a positive indicator, while math achievement is a soft spot that warrants a closer look from families. The community context offers a range of amenities and a relatively expensive housing market. The school’s specific program offerings and support services are not detailed in the data provided, so direct inquiry would be the next step for parents weighing this option.
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