The top reported proficiency rate is 14% in English language arts. The lowest is 2% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Carole Highlands Elementary
Carole Highlands Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the Prince George's County Public Schools district. The school is located in Takoma Park, a dense residential suburb of Washington, D.C. that retains a distinctive civic identity. Takoma Park was one of the first planned Victorian commuter suburbs, and its character today is shaped by a mix of century-old homes, mid-century apartment buildings, a protected tree canopy, and a strong progressive tradition that includes a rent stabilization law and a ban on synthetic pesticides on city land. The city is walkable within its commercial nodes, and Sligo Creek Park with its multi-mile trail bisects the area. The housing stock includes single-family homes and apartments, and home values in the zip code are well above the national typical level. The district itself has enacted a district-wide literacy initiative in recent years aligned with the science of reading and has conducted a boundary review to address overcrowding, with changes proposed for a future school year.
The student body is large for an elementary school. The enrollment is composed almost entirely of Hispanic students, with a very small share of Black students, an even smaller share of White students, and negligible numbers from other racial and ethnic groups. A very substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a high level of economic need. Data on the share of students with disabilities and the share classified as English learners was not available, which is a gap a family may want to clarify with the school directly.
State testing results from the most recent year are available and are a central consideration for families evaluating this school. On the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, the proficiency rates for all tested subjects and grades are very low. In mathematics, the share of students scoring proficient or above was in the single digits across third, fourth, and fifth grades. In English language arts, the rate was under one in five for all three grade levels. On the fifth-grade science assessment, the proficiency rate was extremely low. These results place the school far below typical levels seen across the state. The district has noted curriculum changes aimed at literacy instruction, but the test results as of the most recent administration reflect the current achievement levels.
No graduation rate data is shown because the school serves only elementary grades; that metric does not apply here. Information about discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, course access, staffing ratios, and program offerings such as gifted education, arts, or extracurriculars for this school was not available in the data provided. Takoma Park itself offers stream valley parks, a city-operated library, and a food co-op that serves as a community anchor, but the data did not speak to specific school-level enrichment or support programs. A parent or resident considering Carole Highlands Elementary will find a school serving a high-need population in a distinctive, liberal suburb, with academic proficiency numbers that are a clear soft spot warranting direct conversation with the school and district about instruction, intervention, and support.
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