Samuel P. Massie Academy, Forestville MD

Original Research by School Decision on Samuel P. Massie Academy

Samuel P. Massie Academy is a regular public school in Forestville, Maryland, serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade within the Prince George's County Public Schools district. It is a pre-K through 8 school, which means students spend their entire elementary and middle school years in one building, a structure some families prefer for continuity. The student body is predominantly Black, with a much smaller Hispanic population and a negligible share of other racial groups. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating the school serves a community with significant economic need.

The state testing results, from the most recent school year, show that the proportion of students scoring proficient or above in math and English language arts is low at every tested grade level. In math, the proficiency rates range from very low in the early elementary grades to somewhat higher but still modest in the upper middle grades. In reading, the pattern is similar; the highest proficiency rate appears in third grade, but it drops to lower levels in subsequent grades and remains low through eighth grade. Science and social studies results are also low. Across all tested subjects and grades, the overall proficiency rate is low. The multi-year trend data shows only one year of results, so there is no basis to assess whether performance is improving or declining. A parent evaluating the school would want to understand the specific academic interventions and supports in place, particularly given that many students appear to enter middle school below grade-level benchmarks in both literacy and math.

The school does not serve high school grades, so it has no graduation rate. Because the school is a pre-K through 8 campus, it also does not offer Advanced Placement, dual-enrollment, or career and technical education pathways that are typical of high schools. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, and staffing levels was not available for this profile.

Forestville is an unincorporated residential suburb in Prince George's County, built mostly between the 1930s and 1970s with a mix of garden apartments, single-family homes, and strip shopping centers. It is a car-dependent community where daily errands typically require a vehicle. The area is convenient to the Capital Beltway and Maryland Route 4, and to Joint Base Andrews, a major nearby employer. The Suitland Metro station on the Green Line provides transit access to Washington, D.C. The housing stock is older, and the community appears to be a stable, mature suburb without major new development or rapid growth. For a family considering this school, the local housing market consists of homes and rentals that are below the state average in value.

The Prince George's County Public Schools district recently approved an operating budget increase, with additional funding directed toward teacher salaries and student support. The district has also implemented a district-wide literacy initiative based on the science of reading, which affects how elementary students are taught. A boundary review was conducted that may change school assignments for some students starting in the 2025-2026 school year. A parent considering Samuel P. Massie Academy should confirm whether their address is affected by any proposed changes.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 33%

School 3% · district not reported

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 47%

School 7% · district not reported

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 52%

School 2% · district not reported

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 62%

School 2% · district not reported

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 718%

School 18% · district not reported

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 827%

School 27% · district not reported

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 330%

School 30% · district not reported

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 422%

School 22% · district not reported

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 510%

School 10% · district not reported

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 617%

School 17% · district not reported

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 710%

School 10% · district not reported

▼ 38 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

Grade 812%

School 12% · district not reported

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Science

Grade 50%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 84%

School 4% · district not reported

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 88%

School 8% · District 21% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

This schoolPrince George's County Public Schools, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income24%Higher-income31%7 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income10%Higher-income13%3 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income9%Higher-income12%3 pp gap