The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in English language arts. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Sharpsburg Elementary
Sharpsburg Elementary is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a small, historically preserved town in Washington County. The school is part of Washington County Public Schools, which covers a largely rural and small-town area in western Maryland. Sharpsburg itself is a compact community of 19th-century homes and civic buildings, with Main Street as its spine and the Antietam National Battlefield as its primary anchor. Commercial activity is minimal, and the town’s identity is tied closely to Civil War history and battlefield tourism. The population has declined over the long term, and deliberate preservation controls growth.
The school enrolls a modest number of students. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic share and a small share of students identifying as two or more races; Black and Asian students are present in very low numbers. More than a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting a moderate level of economic need across the school community.
Academically, the picture varies by subject and grade level. In English language arts, third graders showed a strong proficiency rate, with most students meeting the state’s performance benchmark on the MCAP assessment. Fourth grade ELA results were reported as a range, falling in the mid to upper half. Fifth grade ELA proficiency was at the halfway mark. In math, third graders again performed well, with a strong majority proficient. Fourth and fifth grade math proficiency rates were lower, with about a third of fourth graders and a bit more than a quarter of fifth graders meeting the bar. Fifth graders also took the state science assessment, the MISA, and about a third scored proficient.
These results suggest a pattern where early-grade performance is a relative strength, while upper elementary math in particular shows room for improvement. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate or high school outcomes to consider. Only a single year of test data was available, so no trend can be assessed. Chronic absenteeism and discipline data were not reported; a parent may want to ask the school directly about attendance patterns and school climate.
The district is in the early stages of implementing the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a statewide reform that is expanding pre-K access, raising teacher salaries, and building out career technology programs at the district’s technical high school. Although those high school pathways do not directly affect Sharpsburg Elementary classrooms, the expansion of pre-K is relevant for families with young children. The district also recently approved a redistricting plan that redrew elementary attendance boundaries primarily in the Hagerstown area, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. A voter-approved school construction bond is funding a new elementary school and renovations to several existing buildings, which may eventually affect facilities or boundaries across the district.
Housing in Sharpsburg is moderately priced compared to national averages, and homes in the area have seen modest appreciation. The town’s quiet, historic character and its location near the battlefield and the C&O Canal towpath draw families who value a small-town setting. There is no public transit system; travel is by car via Maryland Routes 34 and 65, with access to Hagerstown and Interstate 70.
For a family considering Sharpsburg Elementary, the school offers a small setting with a strong start in reading and math in third grade, a mostly homogeneous student body, and a district that is investing in early childhood and teacher compensation. The lower proficiency rates in upper elementary math and science are worth discussing with the school to understand the support available. The school’s location in a historic, low-growth town means it serves a stable population, and the district’s building plans may bring facility upgrades in the years ahead.
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