The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 25% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Green Holly Elementary School
Green Holly Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in Lexington Park, a census-designated place in St. Mary’s County that grew around the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. The economy here is heavily military-driven, with the base employing a substantial number of people and anchoring the local economy. Lexington Park has been one of the nation’s fastest-growing micropolitan areas, expanding rapidly on the strength of military growth, and the Lexington Park Development District Master Plan designates the area as the principal growth zone for St. Mary’s County. The community is notably diverse for the region, and the school’s enrollment reflects that, with a student body that includes a mix of racial and ethnic backgrounds. A little over half of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
Green Holly is a regular public school within St. Mary’s County Public Schools. No recent district-level changes of lasting impact were found through publicly reported sources. The school’s grade span means there is no state-issued graduation rate data here, as that metric applies only to high schools. Similarly, state testing data is available only for grades three through five, which are the tested grades in Maryland’s elementary schools.
On the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, the school’s results show a pattern that families will want to examine closely. In English language arts, third graders posted a proficiency rate that was solidly in the middle range, but fourth and fifth graders landed at lower levels. In math, the pattern was similar: third graders had a rate in the moderate zone, while fourth and fifth graders recorded rates that were lower. In fifth-grade science, the proficiency rate was modest. The school has only a single year of usable assessment data, so there is no multi-year trend to examine. A parent considering this school may want to ask how the school supports students who arrive below grade level and how it approaches the apparent drop-off in performance between third and fourth grades.
The comparison fact-set that would position this school relative to other districts in St. Mary’s County could not produce a meaningful comparison because only one district exists in the county, so the proficiency index and chronic absenteeism metrics were not applicable. This is an inherent limitation of the geography rather than a reflection on the school.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary serving these grade levels. The racial and ethnic composition includes a nearly even split between Black students and White students, with a smaller share of Hispanic students, a smaller share of students who identify as two or more races, and a small share of Asian students. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs and English learner status was not available in the public record.
The housing market in the area shows home values in the moderate to upper range for the region, with rents that have been relatively flat. The typical home price compared to income suggests affordability is a stretch for many households, though this is consistent with national patterns. The community is suburban in character, with commercial activity concentrated along highway corridors rather than in a walkable downtown core. Schools in Lexington Park are dispersed throughout the community rather than clustered in a central area, which is typical for this kind of built environment.
For a family weighing Green Holly, the central question is how its academic trajectory fits a child’s needs. The school starts strong in third grade but sees a notable decline by fourth and fifth grades. A parent whose child enters below grade level, or who wants to ensure steady growth through the elementary years, would benefit from a direct conversation with the school about its intervention strategies and how it addresses the gap between early and upper elementary performance.
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