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Sparks Elementary

Public Grades K-5

25^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 864 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 97% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

Sparks Elementary in Sparks, MD, is a K-5 school serving 509 students within the Baltimore County Public Schools district, and it has established itself as a consistent academic powerhouse, ranking in the top 3% of all Maryland elementary schools for the past decade.

Academically, Sparks Elementary is a standout, with proficiency rates that far exceed district and state averages. In English Language Arts, the school achieved an 84.5% proficiency rate, significantly higher than the district average of 46.1% and outperforming nearby high-achievers like Timonium Elementary (78.4%). In math, Sparks’ 66.9% proficiency rate is over three times the district average, and its 5th-grade science scores are a major differentiator, with a 72.5% proficiency rate that is more than double the state average and higher than all nearby high-performing peers, including Carroll Manor Elementary (69.6%) and Fifth District Elementary (69.2%). The school also boasts a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of just 8.6%, dramatically lower than the district average of 25.6% and among the best in its peer group, with only Timonium Elementary (5.9%) and Jacksonville Elementary (5.8%) having lower rates.

This sustained excellence is achieved with efficient resource use, as Sparks spends $18,538 per student, which is less than several of its high-performing peers and significantly less than lower-performing schools in the area. The school is part of a high-performing cluster in northern Baltimore County, including Timonium Elementary, Carroll Manor Elementary, Pinewood Elementary, Fifth District Elementary, and Jacksonville Elementary, all of which rank in the top 2% of the state. However, there is a stark performance gap between this cluster and other nearby schools like Lutherville Laboratory, Pot Spring Elementary, Mays Chapel Elementary, Warren Elementary, and Padonia International Elementary, highlighting significant disparities in educational opportunity within a small geographic area.

509

Students ?

15.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,538

Per pupil spending ?

10.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

601 Belfast Rd
Sparks, MD 21152-9129

(410) 887-7900

District: Baltimore County Public Schools

Students who attend Sparks Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Hereford Middle
High:	Hereford High

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.6%

Asian:

8.8%

Hispanic:

6.7%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 98th percentile in 2016 → 97th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maryland average (75% vs 39% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 3% of Maryland elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Baltimore County Public Schools

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school75%

District avg34%

Maryland avg39%

25^th of 864

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Top 3%▼ down 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

7^th of 108Elementary Schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools

18^th of 25Baltimore 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
2026	95.9	25 of 864	97.1%	★★★★★
2025	96.7	19 of 865	97.8%	★★★★★
2024	97.8	9 of 859	99.0%	★★★★★
2023	96.7	21 of 855	97.5%	★★★★★
2022	95.8	29 of 862	96.6%	★★★★★
2021	94.6	43 of 802	94.6%	★★★★★
2019	96.3	25 of 853	97.1%	★★★★★
2018	97.9	10 of 857	98.8%	★★★★★
2017	95.7	26 of 847	96.9%	★★★★★
2016	96.1	16 of 845	98.1%	★★★★★
2015	92.4	54 of 859	93.7%	★★★★★
2014	85.6	65 of 867	92.5%	★★★★★
2013	86.0	34 of 847	96.0%	★★★★★
2012	82.1	78 of 857	90.9%	★★★★★
2011	80.6	108 of 853	87.3%	★★★★☆
2010	83.5	76 of 855	91.1%	★★★★★
2009	76.4	187 of 850	78.0%	★★★★☆
2008	81.0	117 of 838	86.0%	★★★★☆
2007	5.3	775 of 818	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	5.2	768 of 804	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	3.1	776 of 805	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	2.0	785 of 803	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	89.4	57 of 796	92.8%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	95.1	31 of 788	96.1%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	85.6	48 of 528	90.9%	★★★★★

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)

Male (2021)96th percentile~ school

Female (2021)93rd percentile~ school

White (2021)91st percentile-4 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts84%+33 vs state

Science72%+40 vs state

Mathematics67%+40 vs state

★

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Schools Near Sparks Elementary

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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 (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAP Mathematics (2026)				MCAP English Language Arts (2026)				MCAP Science (2026)	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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sparks Elementary	Public	K-5	601 Belfast Rd	Sparks	21152	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7900	509	33	15.5	10.4%	400 (78.6%)	17 (3.3%)	34 (6.7%)	45 (8.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.6%)	95.9	25^th of 864 public elementary schools	97.1%		96.7	19^th of 865 public elementary schools	97.8%	6	74.4	63.5	62.5	66.9	81.4	90.6	81.3	84.5	72.5	$18,538	$1,299	$17,239
Warren Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	900 Bosley Rd	Cockeysville	21030	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7665	381	24	15.8	51.4%	110 (28.9%)	134 (35.2%)	98 (25.7%)	21 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	17 (4.5%)	52.6	388^th of 864 public elementary schools	55.1%		51.1	398^th of 865 public elementary schools	54.0%	10	39.6	36.8	21.1	31.5	57.7	54.4	40.8	50.0	34.3	$17,674	$1,524	$16,150
Padonia International Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9834 Greenside Dr	Cockeysville	21030	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 887-7646	505	40	12.6	64.8%	35 (6.9%)	88 (17.4%)	291 (57.6%)	66 (13.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.4%)	28.6	589^th of 864 public elementary schools	31.8%		27.2	585^th of 865 public elementary schools	32.4%	4	29.6	41.2	15.1	28.3	21.1	39.7	26.4	28.9	12.5	$20,927	$2,725	$18,202
Mays Chapel Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	12250 Roundwood Road	Timonium	21093	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 809-4134	657	38	17.1	31.8%	285 (43.4%)	125 (19.0%)	101 (15.4%)	99 (15.1%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (6.7%)	76.6	213^th of 864 public elementary schools	75.3%		77.6	205^th of 865 public elementary schools	76.3%	8	50.0	40.2	43.8	44.6	62.8	62.5	65.5	63.6	53.1	$19,572	$1,875	$17,697
Jacksonville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3400 Hillendale Heights Rd	Phoenix	21131	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7880	533	31	17.0	7.7%	447 (83.9%)	17 (3.2%)	17 (3.2%)	29 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.3%)	94.3	40^th of 864 public elementary schools	95.4%		96.2	27^th of 865 public elementary schools	96.9%	13	59.1	76.1	79.6	71.6	75.0	82.6	83.9	80.5	71.0	$18,068	$1,539	$16,528
Pot Spring Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2410 Spring Lake Dr	Timonium	21093	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7648	434	26	16.6	44.9%	165 (38.0%)	95 (21.9%)	135 (31.1%)	18 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.8%)	67.2	274^th of 864 public elementary schools	68.3%		71.8	240^th of 865 public elementary schools	72.3%	34	64.2	46.2	31.5	46.8	60.3	53.8	53.4	55.8	31.9	$18,111	$1,300	$16,811
Pinewood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Rickswood Rd	Timonium	21093	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7663	598	33	17.9	14.5%	354 (59.2%)	42 (7.0%)	27 (4.5%)	132 (22.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (7.2%)	97	18^th of 864 public elementary schools	97.9%		97.9	9^th of 865 public elementary schools	99.0%	9	78.5	71.8	66.4	71.7	80.6	88.2	84.0	84.2	71.4	$16,645	$1,041	$15,604
Fifth District Elementary	Public	K-5	3725 Mount Carmel Rd	Upperco	21155	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 809-1726	262	17	15.6	15.6%	229 (87.4%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.6%)	97.5	12^th of 864 public elementary schools	98.6%		97.1	15^th of 865 public elementary schools	98.3%	3	76.6	81.8	71.2	76.2	84.8	81.8	92.3	86.6	69.2	$21,235	$1,655	$19,580
Timonium Elementary	Public	K-5	2001 Eastridge Rd	Timonium	21093	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7661	445	31	14.4	20.0%	264 (59.3%)	41 (9.2%)	49 (11.0%)	72 (16.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.3%)	94.8	36^th of 864 public elementary schools	95.8%		96.6	20^th of 865 public elementary schools	97.7%	16	73.7	80.3	53.3	69.2	76.3	81.6	77.3	78.4	78.7	$19,513	$1,255	$18,257
Carroll Manor Elementary	Public	K-5	4434 Carroll Manor Rd	Baldwin	21013	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-5947	371	22	16.7	8.6%	325 (87.6%)	5 (1.3%)	18 (4.9%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.1%)	97.3	14^th of 864 public elementary schools	98.4%		96.2	24^th of 865 public elementary schools	97.2%	10	78.9	68.4	73.9	73.2	84.2	86.1	88.4	86.3	69.6	$19,609	$1,386	$18,223

Frequently Asked Questions about Sparks Elementary

What district is Sparks Elementary in?

Baltimore County Public Schools

How many students attend Sparks Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 509 students attended Sparks Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Sparks Elementary?

Students at Sparks Elementary are 79% White, 9% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 3% African American, 3% Two or more races.

Is Sparks Elementary a good school?

Yes! Sparks Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 25^th of 864 Maryland elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Sparks Elementary attend?

Students who attend Sparks Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Hereford Middle
High : Hereford High

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Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresNewJul 28, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCAP test scoresAug 26, 2025

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.