The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Thomas S. Stone Elementary
Thomas S. Stone Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in Mount Rainier, Maryland, part of the Prince George’s County Public Schools system. The school sits in a small, dense town that was built as a streetcar suburb of Washington, D.C., and now anchors the Gateway Arts District, a corridor of galleries, studios, and small businesses along US 1. The housing stock is largely early twentieth-century single-family homes and a few mid-century apartment complexes, with a walkable, mixed-use street pattern that reflects its origin as a streetcar suburb. Mount Rainier’s population stabilized after an earlier decline, and the town has drawn freelance theater workers and artists in recent years.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a smaller but substantial share of Black students and a very small proportion of White students. A large majority of the school’s students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a high level of economic need. The school is not a charter or magnet, and no Title I designation was reported in the available data. Enrollment is spread across the elementary grades, with the largest numbers in kindergarten through second grade.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year show that proficiency rates in both math and English language arts are low across the tested grades. In math, the share of students scoring at or above the proficient level varies by grade, with the fourth-grade result being notably lower than the others. In ELA, proficiency rates are also low, though slightly higher than math in most grades. Science results, available only for fifth grade, show a very low share of students reaching proficiency. Only a single year of assessment data was available, so there is no multi-year trend to compare. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
The housing market in the area is moderately priced relative to the national and state benchmarks, with typical home values slightly above the statewide median and rents that are substantial for the region. Mount Rainier is a compact municipality with good transit access, including Metrobus lines and nearby Metro stations, which makes commuting to Washington common. The town has a historic library, a community pool, and an active arts scene, but no major employers are located within its borders.
The district has undertaken several recent initiatives that affect this school. Prince George’s County Public Schools approved a budget increase for the current fiscal year, with additional funding directed to teacher salaries and student support services. The district also adopted a new evidence-based literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading, starting in the 2023-2024 school year, which is now in place across all elementary schools. A 2024 boundary review proposed changes for the 2025-2026 school year to address overcrowding and facility use; these changes could affect which school some children in the area attend, though the current assignment remains in place.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a neighborhood elementary in a walkable, historically rich town with an active arts community, set within a large county district that is pursuing curriculum and budget improvements. The academic performance on state tests is low, and the student population is economically diverse, with a high share of families facing economic challenges. The school does not offer the program breadth that a larger or more affluent school might, but it serves as the local elementary for a community where many residents commute to Washington and value the town’s character and transit connections. A parent may want to discuss with the school how it is addressing literacy and math instruction, particularly given the district’s new literacy initiative and the low proficiency scores.
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