The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Montpelier Elementary
Montpelier Elementary is a regular public school in Laurel, Maryland, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of Prince George’s County Public Schools, a large district that has recently adopted a district-wide literacy initiative aligned with the science of reading, approved a budget increase directing more funding toward teacher salaries and student support services, and conducted a boundary review that could affect school assignments beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
Laurel itself is a largely residential city with a historic downtown centered on Main Street. Originally a 19th-century mill town on the Patuxent River, it grew into an early commuter hub for Washington, D.C., and Baltimore after the railroad arrived. Today the city has preserved a historic district, and its civic anchors include the Laurel Museum, the Phelps Community Center, a noted fossil park, and a MARC train station providing rail access to both metropolitan areas. The housing market in the area carries a value that sits above the state median, with rents slightly below the national index for shelter costs, making it a relatively expensive place to live within the region.
Montpelier Elementary enrolls a student body that is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with smaller shares of white, Asian, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The school does not have magnet or charter designation.
State assessment results are available for math, English language arts, and science through Maryland’s MCAP and MISA tests. In math, proficiency rates varied by grade level: the third-grade cohort showed a moderate share meeting the benchmark, fourth-grade results were stronger, and fifth-grade performance dropped to a much lower level. In English language arts, fourth-grade proficiency was just under half of tested students, fifth-grade was slightly below that, and third-grade results were reported as a range falling between similar levels. In science, the fifth-grade group posted a low proficiency rate. Because this is the only year of data available, no trend can be observed. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report.
The comparison set provided—districts within Prince George’s County—does not yield a meaningful academic benchmark for Montpelier Elementary because the cohort of districts with comparable data was too small to produce a comparison. This means families looking to gauge the school’s standing against its neighbors will not find a direct academic ranking here.
Given the mixed proficiency picture, particularly the lower rates in fifth-grade math and science, a parent may want to discuss with the school how it addresses skill gaps in the upper elementary grades and what supports are available for students who are not yet meeting state standards. The district’s literacy initiative may influence reading instruction, but the school’s own approach to math and science acceleration or intervention is not detailed in the available data.
The school operates as a standard neighborhood elementary school within a historically rooted, transit-connected community. Its student composition reflects the broader diversity of the area, and its academic results show areas of relative strength alongside softer spots that warrant attention from families considering placement.
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