The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on University Park Elementary
University Park Elementary is a regular public school in Hyattsville, Maryland, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Prince George’s County Public Schools. The school sits within a community that has seen substantial redevelopment in recent years, particularly around the Arts District Hyattsville and the University Town Center area near the Hyattsville Crossing Metro station. Hyattsville’s motto, “A World Within Walking Distance,” reflects a walkable environment with historic residential streets, a network of hiker-biker trails, and multiple transit options including Metro, MARC, and bus lines. The town’s growth has been steady, adding housing and commercial space while maintaining a commuter-suburb feel.
The student body at University Park Elementary is diverse. The largest demographic group is Hispanic, followed by Black and then White students, with smaller shares of Asian students and students who identify as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. This mix of backgrounds shapes the peer environment a family can expect. The school does not operate as a charter or magnet school, and data on whether it receives Title I funding was not available in the materials provided.
On state testing, the picture is mixed and worth examining closely by subject and grade. In English language arts, third graders posted a proficiency rate in a range that exceeded the school’s own fourth-grade rate, which was similar, while fifth grade dipped below both. Overall, ELA performance across all tested grades was near the midpoint of expectations. In math, the pattern was weaker. Third-grade proficiency was lower than the ELA result for the same grade, and both fourth and fifth grades fell further. Fifth-grade science proficiency was also low. A parent should note that these are single-year results from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, and the data offer only one year of testing information, so no trend is available to see whether scores are moving up or down. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to consider.
The district context matters here. Prince George’s County Public Schools recently approved an operating budget increase directed toward teacher salaries and student support services. A district-wide literacy initiative adopted in a recent school year shifted elementary reading instruction to an evidence-based curriculum aligned with the science of reading, which directly affects how students at University Park Elementary are taught to read. A boundary review conducted in a more recent year proposed changes for the following school year to address overcrowding and facility use, so families should confirm the school’s attendance zone if they are considering moving into the area.
Housing in the area carries a value that falls near the state benchmark, with rents that are a meaningful share of income, making homeownership more expensive than renting on a monthly basis. The local unemployment rate and mortgage rates are aligned with broader national conditions.
University Park Elementary offers a typical elementary program within a large, diverse district. The strongest academic showing in the available data is in early-grade reading, while math and science proficiency are areas where a parent may want to follow up with the school to understand what supports are in place. The school’s setting in a redeveloping inner-ring suburb with strong transit access and a walkable historic core may appeal to families looking for an urban-adjacent environment. The peer group is socioeconomically and racially diverse, and the district is in the middle of curriculum and boundary changes that could affect the school experience.
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