Best Elementary, Middle Schools In MD Ranked In New Study

Patch Field Editor Mark Hand originally posted this story.

MARYLAND — Multiple elementary and middle schools in Maryland are included among the best in the country, according to new rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report. Montgomery County dominated the rankings, with showing from Howard, St. Mary's and Baltimore county schools, too.

The news outlet based its 2024 Best Elementary and Middle School rankings on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education, focusing on student proficiency in core subject areas.

In Maryland, the top 10 elementary schools are:

1. Cold Spring Elementary, Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools
2. Westbrook Elementary, Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools
3. Travilah Elementary, North Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools
4. Seven Locks Elementary, Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools
5. Wayside Elementary, Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools
6. Chevy Chase Elementary, Chevy Chase, Montgomery County Public Schools
7. Bannockburn Elementary, Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools
8. Pinewood Elementary, Timonium, Baltimore County Public Schools
9. Centennial Lane Elementary, Ellicott City, Howard County Public Schools
10. Bradley Hills Elementary, Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools

The top 10 middle schools in Maryland are:

1. Clarksville Middle, Clarksville, Howard County Public Schools
2. Herbert Hoover Middle, Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools
3. Thomas W. Pyle Middle, Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools
4. Burleigh Manor Middle, Ellicott City, Howard County Public Schools
5. Folly Quarter Middle, Ellicott City, Howard County Public Schools
6. North Bethesda Middle, Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools
7. Robert Frost Middle, Rockville, Montgomery County Public Schools
8. Cabin John Middle, Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools
9. Chesapeake Charter School, Lexington Park, St. Mary's County Public Schools
10. Takoma Park Middle School, Silver Spring, Montgomery County Public Schools

Here are Baltimore County's elementary and middle school rankings.

In Harford County, here are the elementary and middle school ratings.

The U.S. News list includes data on more than 79,000 public elementary and middle schools nationwide.

In the analysis, U.S. News looked closely at state assessments of students who were proficient or above-proficient in mathematics and reading/language arts, while also accounting for student backgrounds, achievement in core subjects, and how well schools are educating their students. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in the overall score.

LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News, said the state and district-level rankings are intended to give parents a snapshot of their child’s school and how well it’s doing within its community.

“Easily accessible data on student-teacher ratio, district spending, and the number of school counselors available at the school can keep parents informed and involved,” Jones said.

To be included in district-level rankings, at least two of the top-performing schools must rank in the top 75 percent of the overall elementary or middle school rankings to qualify for district-level recognition.

Related: These Are The Top 25 Public High Schools In Maryland, New Ranking Says