Park Elementary

Park Elementary is a public school in Baltimore, MD, serving 538 students from Pre-K through 5th grade as part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools district, where over 83% of students come from low-income households. The school has seen a concerning decline in recent years, with its state ranking dropping to the 21st percentile (a 1-star rating) for the 2025-2026 school year, its lowest point since the pandemic. Academic performance is well below district and state averages, with only 14.9% of students proficient in Math and 30.2% in English Language Arts (ELA). While these numbers are similar to nearby high-poverty schools like Belle Grove and Brooklyn Park Elementary, Park is dramatically outperformed by Overlook Elementary, just 2.3 miles away, which has a lower poverty rate and higher proficiency rates (31.1% Math, 46.2% ELA).

The most alarming trend at Park Elementary is the severe drop in 5th-grade performance. In just three years, 5th-grade Science proficiency fell from 27.9% to 9.8%, and Math proficiency plummeted from 21.6% to a mere 4.4%. This suggests a systemic issue in preparing students for upper elementary coursework, a pattern not seen as sharply in nearby schools. Interestingly, 3rd graders show a bright spot, with 43.9% proficient in ELA (close to the state average of 50.4%), but this success fades by 4th grade and collapses by 5th grade, pointing to a "leaky pipeline" where students struggle to transition from foundational skills to more complex learning.

Park Elementary also faces persistently high chronic absenteeism at 28.7%, significantly above the district average of 19.9% and higher than comparable schools like North Glen Elementary (26.3%). Despite spending over $20,000 per student—more than the district average—outcomes remain low, suggesting that funding alone isn't the issue. The school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 11.4:1, meaning class sizes aren't the primary challenge. While Park generally outperforms nearby Bay-Brook Elementary/Middle and Curtis Bay Elementary in Baltimore City, its downward trajectory over four consecutive years contrasts with the stability or improvement seen in other district schools, indicating unique challenges that need targeted attention.