The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Melwood Elementary
Melwood Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, part of Prince George’s County Public Schools. The school sits in a small town that functions as the county seat, with government buildings, a downtown core along Main Street, and quiet residential streets west of the center. The surrounding Greater Upper Marlboro area is more sprawling, a mix of suburban housing developments and horse farms. The school itself is located on Woodyard Road, within a short drive of the town’s civic anchors but outside the walkable downtown.
The student body is diverse in background, with the largest share of students identifying as Black, followed by a substantial Hispanic enrollment, and smaller numbers of white, Asian, and multiracial students. A significant share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that many families have moderate or lower incomes. The enrollment is of a size typical for an elementary school in the district, with roughly balanced numbers across grades kindergarten through five.
Academic performance on Maryland’s state assessments, the MCAP for math and English language arts and the MISA for science, shows pronounced challenges. In math, the proportion of students scoring proficient or above is low across grades three, four, and five, with the fifth-grade result being notably weaker. English language arts results are stronger than math but still well below state averages; around a third of third-graders and roughly a third of fifth-graders reached proficiency, while fourth-grade proficiency was lower. Science results for fifth-graders, the only tested grade in that subject, are also low. A parent considering Melwood Elementary would want to look into these results further with the school to understand the instructional supports in place.
The school’s grade band means there are no graduation rate data to report, and no information on course access, staffing, or discipline was available in the data provided. The district context includes recent developments: Prince George’s County Public Schools approved a budget increase for the current fiscal year, with funds directed toward teacher salaries and student support services. The district has also adopted a new literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading, a change that affects how elementary students are taught. Additionally, a boundary review was conducted in 2024, with proposed changes for the coming school year that could affect attendance assignments.
Home values in the area around Melwood Elementary hold near a moderate level, with rents rising in recent months. The town itself is small and population-stable, though the surrounding Greater Upper Marlboro area continues to see housing development. A long-discussed proposal to move the county seat to Largo, closer to Metro and interstate access, introduces uncertainty about the long-term character of Upper Marlboro as a government center.
For families already living in this part of Prince George’s County, Melwood Elementary is the neighborhood school for a population that is heavily dependent on free lunch support. The academic profile suggests that many students need additional help to reach grade-level benchmarks, especially in math. The school’s setting in a small county-seat town offers a mix of civic life and quiet residential streets, with the broader suburban-rural area providing more space and amenities. A parent weighing this school would want to examine the specific interventions available and compare outcomes with other elementary options in the district.
See more original research from School Decision →