The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in English language arts. The lowest is 26% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Fountain Rock Elementary
Fountain Rock Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the Washington County Public Schools system, located on the outskirts of Hagerstown, Maryland. The school sits in a part of Washington County that is semi-rural in character, with the broader Hagerstown area functioning as a commercial and industrial hub for a tri-state region. The metropolitan area has been among the fastest growing in Maryland, though specific housing developments near the school were not detailed in available records.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. Roughly half of students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that places the school within the range of many elementary schools serving similar mixed-income communities.
On state assessments administered through the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, Fountain Rock’s results show a noticeable split between English language arts and mathematics. In third and fourth grade, a majority of students scored at or above the proficient level in reading. Fifth grade reading proficiency was lower, with fewer than half of students reaching that benchmark. In math, proficiency rates declined across the grades, with the fifth grade rate dropping to the point that a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the instructional supports in place. Science results for fifth graders, from the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment, also showed a relatively modest share of students meeting proficiency.
A single year of state testing data is available, so it is not possible to identify trends over time. The school’s overall math and reading proficiency, when averaged across subjects and grades, places it in a context where the comparison set—other districts within Washington County—was too small to yield a meaningful relative ranking.
The district is in the early stages of implementing the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, a multiyear state education reform law. For Fountain Rock families, the most immediate effects include expanded pre-kindergarten access and increased teacher salaries meant to improve retention. The school board has also approved a redistricting plan that redraws elementary attendance boundaries in the Hagerstown area, set to take effect in the coming school year. A school construction bond referendum passed by voters provides funding for a new elementary school and renovations to existing buildings, though it was not specified whether Fountain Rock is among the schools slated for renovation.
Housing in the area carries a cost that is below the statewide median home value, reflecting the more affordable character of Washington County compared to Maryland’s closer-in suburbs. Rents have been rising, typical of the broader national trend.
For a family considering this school, the standout feature is the reading performance in the early grades, where a solid majority of students are meeting state standards. The math and science scores point to areas where the school is working to raise achievement, and the district-level investments in early childhood and teacher pay may support those efforts over time. The redistricting means that attendance boundaries are shifting, so any family looking at a specific home should confirm which school serves that address for the upcoming year. Fountain Rock is a mid-sized elementary school in a growing but still affordable part of western Maryland, with academic strengths in early literacy and a need for continued attention in math and science.
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