Prince George's Schools See Star Ratings Rise, But Statewide Gap Remains

Thirty-nine public schools in Prince George's County received higher star ratings this school year, according to Maryland School Report Card data released Thursday. The district, which serves 194 schools and ranks second only to Montgomery County in size, saw a net gain of 25 stars across its institutions. This improvement comes after a period where the district's performance metrics had plateaued.

The state assigns ratings from one to five stars based on specific metrics. These include academic achievement, student progress, attendance, graduation rates, and school climate. For families, the ratings provide a direct comparison of local school performance. The data allows parents to see how their child's school stacks up against the rest of the state.

The number of top-rated schools in the district remained stable. Six schools earned five stars this year, matching the count from the previous year. César Chávez Elementary School moved from a four-star to a five-star rating. Judith P. Hoyer Montessori School moved in the opposite direction, dropping from five stars to four. The district's highest score went to the Academy of Health Sciences at Prince George’s Community College. This high school ranked in the top 1% of Maryland high schools.

Improvements were common among elementary schools. Flintstone, Forest Heights, and Marlton elementary schools all moved from two stars to three stars. Beltsville Academy, Bond Mill Elementary, Hyattsville Elementary, and Phyllis E. Williams Elementary each gained one star, moving from a three-star to a four-star rating. Consequently, the total number of four-star schools in the county increased by 10.

Some schools experienced declines. Eleanor Roosevelt High School fell from four stars to three stars. Friendly High School, Laurel High School, and Surrattsville High School each dropped from three stars to two stars. Across the district, 14 schools lost a star while 141 schools kept their previous ratings. The district’s total number of two-star schools decreased from 45 to 30.

Prince George's County still trails its neighbors in the share of schools receiving the highest rating. Approximately 3% of the district's schools earned five stars, compared with about 10% of schools statewide. Montgomery County Public Schools had 36 five-star schools, or about 17% of its total. Howard County had 18 five-star schools, representing nearly one in four schools in that district. Baltimore County had 25, and Anne Arundel County had 12.

Despite the gap in top-tier ratings, the district shows progress in its lower tiers. About 85% of Prince George's schools earned at least three stars. This figure is lower than the 89% statewide average but indicates a shift away from the lowest ratings. The data provides a snapshot of current performance for the 2026 school year.