James McHenry Elementary

James McHenry Elementary is one of the average-sized K-5 schools in Lanham, Maryland, overseen by Prince George's County Public Schools, with 610 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 27% bigger than the state mean of about 481.

James McHenry Elementary is one of 199 schools operated by Prince George's County Public Schools, a district that enrolls 132,693 students overall.

Looking at the student body, James McHenry Elementary reports that 76% of the student body identifies as Hispanic. The remainder looks like 21% Black. The wider county runs roughly 23% Hispanic, putting the school's mix noticeably more Hispanic than the area baseline.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 47 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.9:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.8:1, putting James McHenry Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. About 92% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Prince George's County (around 79%), the school's rate is north of typical.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, James McHenry Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 20.0%; this one delivers 20.1%.

In the surrounding community, Prince George's County reports that median household income runs about $101,798, about 37% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. In all, Prince George's County runs 203 public schools (combined enrollment of about 132,693 students), of which James McHenry Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Thomas Johnson Middle, roughly 0.5 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around James McHenry Elementary. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts James McHenry Elementary at 9th of 9; the average score across the group is 36.3%.

Geographically, the school is in a suburban area.

Trend over the last 7 years. James McHenry Elementary's enrollment has ticked down 16% since 2018, when it stood at 723 (now 610). Hispanic enrollment moved from 64% to 76% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 14.8:1 in 2018 to 12.9:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, members of the James McHenry Elementary community share and discuss science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.