The top reported proficiency rate is 19% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Carmody Hills Elementary
Carmody Hills Elementary is a regular public school in Capitol Heights, Maryland, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Prince George’s County Public Schools system, one of the larger districts in the state.
The school enrolls a moderate number of students for its grade band. The student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with small numbers of white students and students from other racial backgrounds. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that the school serves a community with substantial economic need.
On the Maryland state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, the school’s performance was low across all tested subjects and grade levels. In both English language arts and mathematics, the proportion of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level was well below what would typically be expected in a statewide context. This pattern held across grades three, four, and five. In science, which is tested in fifth grade, the share of students reaching proficiency was similarly low. Because only a single year of assessment data was available, it is not possible to determine whether these scores represent a trend or a change from prior years. Families considering the school may want to ask about the specific academic supports and interventions that are in place, particularly in literacy and math.
No information was reported on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or the number of students with individualized education programs or English learner services, so a fuller picture of the school environment and student support is not available from the data.
The school sits in Capitol Heights, a small incorporated town on the eastern border of Washington, D.C. The town was originally developed as a residential subdivision and saw its central business district begin to decline in the 1970s. The population has decreased over recent decades. A Metro Blue Line station provides regional transit access, and the area around the station has been designated an Enterprise Zone as part of an effort to stimulate economic redevelopment. Local government and a postal service office are among the few employers identified. The town’s housing stock includes a mix of single-family homes and rentals; home values in the broader zip code area are near the national median but lower than the Maryland statewide average.
At the district level, Prince George’s County Public Schools has recently increased its operating budget, with additional funding directed toward teacher salaries and student support services. A district-wide literacy initiative aligned with the science of reading was launched in the 2023-24 school year, representing a curriculum change that affects how elementary reading is taught. A boundary review was also conducted in 2024 to address overcrowding and facility utilization, with proposed changes for the 2025-26 school year that could affect school assignments for some families.
Because the available data for Carmody Hills Elementary is limited to a single year and the number of comparable schools in the county was too small to draw relative performance comparisons, this profile rests mainly on the school’s own reported figures. The school serves a population with high economic disadvantage, and its assessment results suggest that many students are not yet meeting grade-level expectations in core subjects. Families exploring this school may want to learn more about the specific academic programs, intervention strategies, and enrichment opportunities that the school offers, as well as how recent district initiatives are being implemented at the building level.
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