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Wilde Lake Middle

Q: Is Wilde Lake Middle a good school?

Wilde Lake Middle ranks 115 th of 337 Maryland middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

115^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 337 Maryland Middle Schools

Better than 66% of Maryland middle schools

Summary

Wilde Lake Middle is a public middle school located in Columbia, Maryland, serving 618 students in grades 6-8. It is part of the Howard County Public Schools district, which is ranked 4 out of 25 in Maryland and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Wilde Lake Middle's academic performance, as measured by MCAP (Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program) test scores, is generally lower than the district and state averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 29.3% of Wilde Lake Middle students were proficient or better in MCAP Mathematics, compared to 42% for the Howard County Public Schools district and 26.5% for the state of Maryland. The school's performance is particularly low in 7th and 8th grade Mathematics, with only 9% and 14.4% of students proficient or better, respectively. In contrast, nearby schools like Clarksville Middle and Burleigh Manor Middle have significantly higher Mathematics proficiency rates, with 72.7% and 59.8% of students proficient or better, respectively.

Wilde Lake Middle also has consistently higher chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 17.3% to 30.8% in recent years, compared to the district and state averages. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 33.39% to 39.61% in recent years, which is significantly higher than some of the nearby schools. These socioeconomic factors may contribute to the lower academic performance observed at Wilde Lake Middle, and addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism and providing targeted support for economically disadvantaged students could be crucial in improving overall student outcomes.

643

Students ?

13.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,976

Per pupil spending ?

39%

Free/discounted lunch ?

10481 Cross Fox Ln
Columbia, MD 21044-2141

(410) 313-6957

District: Howard County Public Schools

Feeder schools for Wilde Lake Middle:

Elementary:	Bryant Woods Elementary
	Clemens Crossing Elementary
	Running Brook Elementary

Racial breakdown:

African American:

43.1%

White:

29.7%

Hispanic:

12.8%

See top rated Maryland middle schools

Compare Wilde Lake Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 59th percentile in 2015 → 66th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maryland average (43% vs 37% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 7 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Maryland median (66th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school43%

District avg53%

Maryland avg37%

115^th of 337

Maryland public middle schools ?

Top 34%▲ up 7 pts since 2015

From top 41% (2015) to top 34% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

14^th of 20Middle Schools in the Howard County Public Schools

4^th of 25Howard County Public Schools among Maryland districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2025	62.8	115 of 337	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.1	111 of 328	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.8	119 of 322	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	65.8	105 of 333	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	64.0	86 of 303	71.6%	★★★★☆
2019	47.9	149 of 316	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.4	151 of 328	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2017	49.3	157 of 317	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	45.4	163 of 314	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2015	52.1	130 of 315	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	60.5	150 of 339	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	47.3	173 of 316	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	56.3	153 of 314	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	61.8	136 of 309	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2010	53.4	179 of 324	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2009	60.5	146 of 301	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2008	59.0	139 of 283	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2007	41.3	155 of 264	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2006	44.0	146 of 254	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2005	42.4	154 of 255	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2004	32.9	173 of 252	31.3%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	46.6	129 of 259	50.2%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	28.6	93 of 116	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	66.1	78 of 303	74.3%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	63.2	56 of 207	72.9%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	25.8	233 of 273	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	57.4	101 of 288	64.9%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	68.0	35 of 136	74.3%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	36.8	81 of 120	32.5%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	70.2	60 of 210	71.4%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Multi-racial (2021)74th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2021)74th percentile+3 vs school

Hispanic (2021)73rd percentile~ school

White (2021)71st percentile~ school

Male (2021)65th percentile-7 vs school

African American (2021)50th percentile-21 vs school

Special Education (2021)32nd percentile-39 vs school

Asian (2021)20th percentile-52 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)15th percentile-57 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2024-2025) ?

Algebra I64%+42 vs state

Geometry60%+32 vs state

English Language Arts57%+6 vs state

Social Studies46%+6 vs state

Science30%~ state avg

Mathematics29%+3 vs state

1.0

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, October 13, 2021

I am appalled at this school. It is very shameful how they run that school... your child could be seriously hurt in this school and no one will be able to tell you factually what happened. The teachers appear to be just as educated as the children. The principal should have stayed a teacher himself. The school psychologist is just something to shake your head at. It is a shame and black children just don't have a chance in this school and if anyone does not start understanding this point it is only going to affect our children. My son has an active IEP on file but goals are centered around things that does not apply to him. The IEP is centered around guidelines statewide making it not Individualized as it should be. I have tried unsuccessfully to get this school to look at the IEP and make the necessary adjustments. They have feelings that are supposed to be respected but your concerns for your child is disregarded as unnecessary. All the while they are passing your child through school with no understanding of what is going on around them. Setting them up for failure in their future. It is very sad how this school is ran. Christopher Rattay should be asked to resign and allow someone to enter the school who can relate to the community in which they are servicing. All we as outside races see is this man who does not understand anything that we are saying about our child because he does not have the same issues for his child. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, February 5, 2016

Most of the staff is disrespectful to the students,and they can't handle disputes between
Students well. My child was having a problem with another student and They sent my child
Home before dismissal. Anything could've happened to him, he usually walks home with a
Group of other students to make it a little safer for him. They didn't even try to contact me to tell me this had happened, they just him home. That day I called the school for an explanation as to why they thought that was the right thing to do and they
Told me it was for the safety for the other student. So that child's safety is more important than my own? Wow, ok. I wouldn't recommend this school to anyone. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Howard County schools are known to be some of the best in the U.S., but not all school are of equal quality. In fact, there is a huge difference among schools, so beware if you are deciding where to live. At Wilde Lake Middle, you will find excellent students, but at least half of the population are thugs, a truly rough crowd. Bullying and other violence is a huge problem at this school. The principal uses a "hands off" approach, and neither the staff/teachers nor the students seem to like her. There is also a wide range in terms of teacher quality--from awful to excellent. I would put all of the math teachers in the "awful" category, but the English teachers could mostly be put in the "excellent" group. My son's math scores went down after one year at this school, so we are moving to a different district. Close Quote

Schools Near Wilde Lake Middle

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MCAP Mathematics (2025)				MCAP English Language Arts (2025)				MCAP Algebra I (2025)	MCAP Algebra II (2025)	MCAP Geometry (2025)	MCAP Science (2025)	MCAP Social Studies (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Algebra II End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	MCAP Science 8th Grade	MCAP Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Wilde Lake Middle	Public	6-8	10481 Cross Fox Ln	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6957	643	49	13.2	39.0%	191 (29.7%)	277 (43.1%)	82 (12.8%)	35 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	56 (8.7%)	62.8	115^th of 337 public middle schools	65.9%		56.1	111^th of 328 public middle schools	66.2%	4	27.8	9.0	14.4	29.3	52.5	56.5	61.7	56.8	63.6		59.5	30.0	45.7	$21,976	$912	$21,064
Harpers Choice Middle	Public	6-8	5450 Beaverkill Rd	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6929	471	41	11.5	46.9%	87 (18.5%)	204 (43.3%)	109 (23.1%)	38 (8.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (6.6%)	41.9	182^nd of 337 public middle schools	46.0%		38.6	173^rd of 328 public middle schools	47.3%	9	26.8	7.8	3.0	25.1	42.1	46.6	36.6	41.8	81.8		56.7	25.2	30.9	$23,115	$920	$22,195
Oakland Mills Middle	Public	6-8	9540 Kilimanjaro Rd	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6937	415	35	11.8	48.4%	87 (21.0%)	135 (32.5%)	133 (32.0%)	26 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (7.7%)	56.4	132^nd of 337 public middle schools	60.8%		37.1	175^th of 328 public middle schools	46.6%	43	23.2	11.1	5.1	21.0	53.2	53.5	47.2	51.2	50.0		34.5	27.5	55.9	$24,494	$1,060	$23,433
Lake Elkhorn Middle	Public	6-8	6680 Cradlerock Way	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7600	569	47	12.2	49.0%	89 (15.6%)	272 (47.8%)	129 (22.7%)	32 (5.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.7%)	48.1	162^nd of 337 public middle schools	51.9%		31.8	197^th of 328 public middle schools	39.9%	35	19.2	9.5	4.5	21.2	36.9	56.8	45.8	46.3	50.0		72.7	22.0	50.0	$20,282	$1,058	$19,224
Burleigh Manor Middle	Public	6-8	4200 Centennial Lane	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2507	777	49	15.7	17.5%	228 (29.3%)	81 (10.4%)	63 (8.1%)	347 (44.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (6.8%)	96.6	6^th of 337 public middle schools	98.2%		94.1	11^th of 328 public middle schools	96.6%	5	51.6	40.5	40.7	59.8	78.3	87.4	81.0	82.2	74.3	100.0	94.1	66.2	74.0	$16,394	$650	$15,744
Clarksville Middle	Public	6-8	6535 S Trotter Rd	Clarksville	21029	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7057	679	41	16.6	6.6%	224 (33.0%)	93 (13.7%)	20 (2.9%)	301 (44.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	39 (5.7%)	97.7	3^rd of 337 public middle schools	99.1%		98.2	1^st of 328 public middle schools	99.7%	2	61.2	47.2	48.1	72.7	81.3	81.9	85.6	82.8	92.4	100.0	93.7	72.4	90.5	$17,045	$619	$16,426
Dunloggin Middle	Public	6-8	9129 Northfield Rd	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2831	623	45	13.9	25.4%	185 (29.7%)	141 (22.6%)	56 (9.0%)	207 (33.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.5%)	84.4	51^st of 337 public middle schools	84.9%		80.3	50^th of 328 public middle schools	84.8%	1	50.3	30.6	12.1	46.3	71.8	69.5	60.5	67.0	75.2		75.0	44.0	64.2	$17,730	$784	$16,947
Ellicott Mills Middle	Public	6-8	4445 Montgomery Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2839	698	49	14.3	14.6%	197 (28.2%)	111 (15.9%)	39 (5.6%)	300 (43.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (7.0%)	91.7	28^th of 337 public middle schools	91.7%		85.3	39^th of 328 public middle schools	88.1%	11	60.8	25.4	8.2	54.5	79.1	78.7	77.4	78.4	68.5	100.0	85.6	59.7	79.3	$17,633	$822	$16,811
Hammond Middle	Public	6-8	8100 Aladdin Dr	Laurel	20723	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 880-5830	604	41	14.8	16.4%	232 (38.4%)	174 (28.8%)	60 (9.9%)	76 (12.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (9.9%)	84.9	50^th of 337 public middle schools	85.2%		78.2	55^th of 328 public middle schools	83.2%	5	43.7	21.0	16.7	41.7	74.9	68.1	67.3	70.2	62.2		66.1	51.7	54.4	$17,343	$742	$16,601
Lime Kiln Middle	Public	6-8	11650 Scaggsville Rd	Fulton	20759	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 880-5988	675	43	15.6	8.6%	255 (37.8%)	112 (16.6%)	43 (6.4%)	212 (31.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (7.6%)	94.7	13^th of 337 public middle schools	96.1%		91.5	17^th of 328 public middle schools	94.8%	4	48.4	29.1	15.9	56.2	82.8	85.6	84.4	84.2	78.5	90.0	90.4	65.1	73.6	$17,144	$859	$16,285

Frequently Asked Questions about Wilde Lake Middle

What is the racial makeup of Wilde Lake Middle?

Students at Wilde Lake Middle are 43% African American, 30% White, 13% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

Is Wilde Lake Middle a good school?

Wilde Lake Middle ranks 115^th of 337 Maryland middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Wilde Lake Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 643 students attended Wilde Lake Middle.

What district is Wilde Lake Middle in?

Howard County Public Schools

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.