Why Riverdale? – Part 5 of 5

Item #5:    Decent Elementary School:

Although Prince Georges County schools are 23^rd of 24 school districts in Maryland (only Baltimore City is worse)….  University Park Elementary school is now one of the better public elementary schools in the county.  It’s “GreatSchools” rating is currently at a 6.

http://www.greatschools.org/maryland/hyattsville/1190-University-Park-Elementary-School/

Not only that, but the school has been improving by leaps and bounds as the area has been improving.

In 2004 University Park was 638^th out of 804 elementary schools in Maryland.  (equivalent GreatSchools ranking of a 2)

In 2016 it ranks 360^th out of 848 elementary schools in Maryland.

(got these stats from https://www.schooldigger.com/go/MD/schools/0051001178/school.aspx)

With so many expensive developments in this area currently being built along with rapidly rising real estate prices in the area I have to think this is only going to improve over the next 5 years before our child is ready for elementary school.  My hopes are the improvement trend continues and the GreatSchools rating is up to a 7 or 8 in 5 more years.   If it just continues to improve at the rate it has been then it will get there.

Also this school goes all the way to 6^th grade so assuming this works out I will not have to worry about anything for 11-12 years or so.

Finding a public elementary school that isn’t terrible anywhere near DC is very difficult so the fact that University Park is a 6 and moving up quickly is another positive for Riverdale.