The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 38% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Clear Spring Elementary
Clear Spring Elementary is a public school in western Washington County, Maryland, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet school, and it draws its students from the small, unassuming town of Clear Spring and the surrounding farmland. Clear Spring itself is a very compact, quiet residential community, a former waystation on the National Pike that has seen most of its businesses close and has not experienced significant growth in decades. The school is physically integrated into this small town context, and the overall feel is that of a rural, community-centered elementary school.
The student body is not diverse in a broad sense. A large majority of students are white, a pattern common in this part of western Maryland. A substantial share of students come from households with lower incomes, as indicated by the share that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the number of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or who are English learners was not available from the provided information, so a full picture of the school's special education and language support scope is not possible to assess from this data.
On state assessments, Clear Spring Elementary’s academic picture is mixed. In English language arts, results vary by grade level. The school’s strongest performance was in third grade, where a solid majority of students met or exceeded the state's proficiency benchmark. For fourth grade, the available data gives a range that places performance close to the midpoint, and fifth grade results were lower, with fewer than half of students proficient. Overall across all tested grades, the combined English language arts proficiency rate sits at a middle point, not a clear strength but also not at the bottom. In mathematics, performance was lower. Third grade showed a modest share meeting the bar, while fourth and fifth grade proficiency rates were notably lower. Science results for fifth grade, the only tested grade in that subject, fell in the lower range. A parent considering this school would want to look into the mathematics performance further, as the data shows that this is where the school faces a clear challenge compared to its own English language arts outcomes. It is important to note that this is a single year of test data, so no trend information is available to show whether these scores are improving or declining.
This school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, and course access was also not available in the data.
The district, Washington County Public Schools, is in the midst of several significant changes. It is implementing the state’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future reform law, which has led to increased teacher pay, additional prekindergarten classrooms, and expanded career technology programs at the technical high school. The school board has also approved a redistricting plan for elementary schools, primarily in the Hagerstown area, which took effect for the 2025-2026 school year and may affect some Clear Spring Elementary boundaries depending on where a family lives. Additionally, a voter-approved bond is funding a new elementary school and major renovations across the district, which could eventually impact facility quality and capacity.
Housing in Clear Spring is notably more affordable than in many parts of Maryland, with home values falling well below both the state and national benchmarks. This makes the area a financial fit for families seeking a more modest-cost entry point into homeownership within commuting distance of a larger job market, likely Hagerstown or the Interstate 70 corridor. The town offers little in the way of commercial life or street activity, and civic life is centered on volunteerism, churches, and community clubs.
Clear Spring Elementary fits a family looking for a small-town, rural elementary school in a stable, affordable housing market. The academic profile shows a school where English language arts is the relative strength and mathematics needs attention, but without trend data, a family would want to ask the school directly about its approach to math instruction and intervention. The district-level changes around redistricting, the Blueprint reforms, and facilities funding are all active factors that could shape the school experience in the coming years.
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