The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in English language arts. The lowest is 4% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on William Beanes Elementary
William Beanes Elementary is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Suitland, a predominantly residential suburban community in Prince George's County. The school is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district, one of the larger districts in Maryland, and its enrollment is modest for an elementary school at this grade band.
The student body is majority Black, with a substantial Hispanic share and very small representations of white, Asian, and multiracial students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available in the source material, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
The academic picture is one where proficiency rates, as measured by Maryland's state assessments, are low across all tested grades and subjects, and a parent will want to weigh this carefully. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above was in the single digits at every grade level tested, with one grade returning no proficient students at all. In English language arts, proficiency rates were in the mid-to-high teens, which is also low compared to state averages. On the fifth-grade science assessment, the proficiency rate was again very low. The available data covers a single school year, so there is no trend to assess whether these numbers represent a stable pattern or a recent shift. The comparison tool that would place the school's proficiency index among other Prince George's County schools was not applicable due to a small cohort, so the best available context is that these are substantially below statewide expectations.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Discipline, attendance, and staffing data were also absent from the source material. A parent may want to follow up with the school on what support systems are in place for students who are not yet meeting academic benchmarks.
Suitland itself is a community shaped by its federal employment base, anchored by the Suitland Federal Center housing agencies such as the Census Bureau, NOAA, and the National Archives. The area has no traditional downtown; the commercial core near Suitland and Silver Hill Roads is modest, and the built environment is auto-oriented, with limited walkability. Three Metro stations on the Green Line serve the community, providing a direct connection to Washington, D.C. Revitalization efforts are underway, including a homebuyer incentive program and a project to rehab foreclosed homes, but population has been roughly stable for a number of years.
The district has recently undertaken a district-wide literacy initiative aligned with the science of reading, affecting how elementary students are taught to read. It also approved a budget increase for teacher salaries and student support, and conducted a boundary review that proposed changes for a future school year. These are the most recent district-level changes that could affect a family's experience at Beanes.
Housing values in the area around the school are moderate relative to national benchmarks, with rents somewhat elevated against local incomes. The typical home in the zip code is valued below the state median, and year-over-year appreciation has been flat. For a family considering a move, this represents a more accessible entry point into the Washington metro housing market than many surrounding communities.
Overall, William Beanes Elementary serves a high-need population in a community with a stable federal workforce and ongoing redevelopment efforts. The academic results are weak, and a parent considering this school would want to understand the specific instructional interventions and school climate before making a decision. The district's new literacy curriculum and the school's own approach to math instruction are logical starting points for that conversation.
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