The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cesar Chavez Elementary
Cesar Chavez Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Hyattsville, Maryland, as a regular public school within the Prince George's County Public Schools system. The school sits in an urban suburb of Washington, D.C., a city that has seen substantial residential and retail redevelopment in recent years, particularly in the Arts District Hyattsville and around the University Town Center area near the Hyattsville Crossing Metro station. The city's walkability, trail network, and transit connections make it a place where many families can manage without a car for daily errands, though the housing market remains expensive relative to national benchmarks, with home values showing a slight softening and rents continuing a gradual upward trend.
The school's enrollment draws a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, with a smaller share of White students, a modest share of Black students, and very small numbers from other racial and ethnic groups. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The school does not provide data on the share of students receiving special education services or those classified as English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how it supports these populations.
On state assessments administered through the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, math proficiency rates are low across all tested grades. In both third grade and fifth grade, about a quarter of students scored at the proficient level or above. The fourth-grade math result was considerably lower. In English language arts, results show a clear upward trajectory by grade. Third-grade proficiency was in the range where roughly a third of students met the bar. Fourth grade rose to around two-fifths. Fifth grade pushed higher, with nearly two-thirds of students scoring proficient or above. On the fifth-grade science assessment, administered through the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment, about two-fifths of students were proficient. Because the available testing data covers only a single school year, there is no trend line to indicate whether these results represent improvement or decline.
Cesar Chavez is a neighborhood elementary school in a district that has recently undertaken several parent-relevant changes. Prince George's County Public Schools approved a budget increase that directed additional funding toward teacher salaries and student support services, which may affect class sizes and staffing at the school level. The district also adopted a new evidence-based literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading, a shift that applies to how elementary reading instruction is delivered across all its schools. A 2024 boundary review aimed at addressing overcrowding and facility utilization has proposed changes slated for the 2025-2026 school year, which means families living near the school boundary should stay informed about potential reassignments.
The school does not report data on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or staffing ratios, and no information is available about program offerings such as art, music, or physical education. A parent weighing this school may want to visit and ask the principal directly about these areas. The academic picture is mixed: math results raise a clear concern, while English language arts performance strengthens noticeably by fifth grade, and science sits in the middle. For a family already oriented toward Hyattsville's walkable, transit-connected lifestyle, this school provides the local elementary option within a district that is actively working on literacy instruction and staff investment, though the math outcomes call for closer attention.
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