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Candlewood Elementary

Q: Is Candlewood Elementary a good school?

Candlewood Elementary ranks 184 th of 864 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

184^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 864 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 79% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

Candlewood Elementary in Rockville, MD, is a K-5 school serving 358 students within the highly-regarded Montgomery County Public Schools district, and it stands out as a top-tier academic performer in its area.

This school consistently earns a 4-star rating and significantly outperforms its neighbors. For example, Candlewood’s math proficiency rate of 55% is more than double that of nearby Gaithersburg Elementary (13.1%) and roughly 30% higher than Sequoyah Elementary (41.5%). Its English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency of 62.9% is similarly impressive. The school is particularly effective in 5th grade, where an outstanding 82.4% of students are proficient in ELA—nearly 30 points above the district average. Candlewood also boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (15.0%) among all nearby schools, well below the district average of 22.6%, indicating strong student engagement. Notably, the school achieves these results without outspending its peers; its per-student spending of $24,428 is actually lower than several lower-performing schools in the area, suggesting highly effective use of resources.

While Candlewood remains a top choice, its state ranking has slightly dipped from the 90th percentile in 2020-2021 to the 79th percentile in 2025-2026, a trend worth monitoring. The school serves a moderately diverse population, with a Free and Reduced Lunch rate of 33.24%, and it excels with specific student groups, including English Language Learners (87th percentile statewide). For parents seeking a school with a strong track record, high attendance, and standout 5th-grade performance, Candlewood is a clear standout in the Rockville area.

358

Students ?

13.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$24,428

Per pupil spending ?

33.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

7210 Osprey Drive
Rockville, MD 20855-1978

(301) 284-4200

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Students who attend Candlewood Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Shady Grove Middle
High:	Col. Zadok Magruder High

Racial breakdown:

White:

37.4%

Hispanic:

25.7%

African American:

15.1%

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Compare Candlewood Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 82nd percentile in 2016 → 79th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maryland average (59% vs 39% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 21% of Maryland elementary schools

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school59%

District avg48%

Maryland avg39%

184^th of 864

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Top 21%▼ down 3 pts since 2016

From top 18% (2016) to top 21% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

54^th of 132Elementary Schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools

8^th of 25Montgomery 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	79.4	184 of 864	78.7%	★★★★☆
2025	76.9	207 of 865	76.1%	★★★★☆
2024	85.6	114 of 859	86.7%	★★★★☆
2023	86.9	106 of 855	87.6%	★★★★☆
2022	89.0	92 of 862	89.3%	★★★★☆
2021	88.0	83 of 802	89.7%	★★★★☆
2019	78.6	181 of 853	78.8%	★★★★☆
2018	85.1	115 of 857	86.6%	★★★★☆
2017	85.2	133 of 847	84.3%	★★★★☆
2016	82.6	151 of 845	82.1%	★★★★☆
2015	84.0	139 of 859	83.8%	★★★★☆
2014	78.3	170 of 867	80.4%	★★★★☆
2013	70.2	244 of 847	71.2%	★★★★☆
2012	78.7	137 of 857	84.0%	★★★★☆
2011	84.4	56 of 853	93.4%	★★★★★
2010	88.1	12 of 855	98.6%	★★★★★
2009	78.1	162 of 850	80.9%	★★★★☆
2008	80.8	122 of 838	85.4%	★★★★☆
2007	15.0	716 of 818	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	5.6	765 of 804	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	9.3	745 of 805	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	22.6	658 of 803	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	55.8	65 of 128	49.2%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	72.9	15 of 115	87.0%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	77.8	125 of 796	84.3%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	90.7	60 of 788	92.4%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	85.1	51 of 528	90.3%	★★★★★

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)92nd percentile+3 vs school

White (2021)90th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2021)87th percentile-3 vs school

Female (2021)84th percentile-5 vs school

Asian (2021)49th percentile-40 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts63%+11 vs state

Science60%+28 vs state

Mathematics55%+28 vs state

★

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Schools Near Candlewood 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
Candlewood Elementary	Public	K-5	7210 Osprey Drive	Rockville	20855	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 284-4200	358	27	13.2	33.2%	134 (37.4%)	54 (15.1%)	92 (25.7%)	44 (12.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	33 (9.2%)	79.4	184^th of 864 public elementary schools	78.7%		76.9	207^th of 865 public elementary schools	76.1%	23	58.2	42.3	63.5	55.0	56.3	51.9	82.4	62.9	60.4	$24,428	$1,407	$23,021
Mill Creek Towne Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	17700 Park Mill Dr	Rockville	20855	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-1820	528	44	12.1	48.5%	105 (19.9%)	99 (18.8%)	208 (39.4%)	74 (14.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (7.6%)	74.7	225^th of 864 public elementary schools	74.0%		68.8	267^th of 865 public elementary schools	69.1%	42	44.1	56.7	50.0	51.4	44.1	56.3	61.7	55.4	49.5	$21,956	$1,084	$20,872
Washington Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8712 Oakmont St	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-0300	480	46	10.3	52.7%	52 (10.8%)	105 (21.9%)	276 (57.5%)	28 (5.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.5%)	33.1	544^th of 864 public elementary schools	37.0%		35.5	515^th of 865 public elementary schools	40.5%	29	26.5	22.0	15.9	21.7	40.8	44.9	39.5	41.8	19.6	$25,160	$2,563	$22,598
Sequoyah Elementary	Public	K-5	17301 Bowie Mill Rd	Derwood	20855	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5880	460	43	10.6	46.7%	120 (26.1%)	68 (14.8%)	206 (44.8%)	40 (8.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.4%)	58.4	339^th of 864 public elementary schools	60.8%		60.2	330^th of 865 public elementary schools	61.8%	9	48.8	40.2	34.2	41.5	52.3	53.7	38.9	48.8	33.3	$24,556	$1,398	$23,158
College Gardens Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1700 Yale Place	Rockville	20850	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 279-8470	506	37	13.7	43.3%	121 (23.9%)	144 (28.5%)	109 (21.5%)	86 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (9.1%)	78.1	197^th of 864 public elementary schools	77.2%		71.7	241^st of 865 public elementary schools	72.1%	44	59.5	52.0	49.4	53.4	67.6	61.1	53.6	60.4	41.9	$20,890	$1,200	$19,690
Rosemont Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	16400 Alden Ave	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-7180	564	50	11.1	59.0%	42 (7.4%)	166 (29.4%)	272 (48.2%)	46 (8.2%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (6.0%)	47.6	432^nd of 864 public elementary schools	50.0%		53.8	379^th of 865 public elementary schools	56.2%	53	42.4	33.0	31.4	35.3	48.9	45.5	42.3	45.5	21.0	$23,797	$2,637	$21,160
Harriet R. Tubman Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Victory Farm Dr	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(240) 740-6770	571	51	11.2	61.6%	25 (4.4%)	109 (19.1%)	391 (68.5%)	24 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (3.7%)	29.3	583^rd of 864 public elementary schools	32.5%		23.8	632^nd of 865 public elementary schools	26.9%	49	30.2	23.5	16.9	23.9	38.8	36.7	30.3	35.5	18.0	$21,951	$2,144	$19,806
Flower Hill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	18425 Flower Hill Way	Gaithersburg	20879	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5820	454	40	11.4	54.8%	34 (7.5%)	93 (20.5%)	264 (58.1%)	46 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.7%)	35.6	521^st of 864 public elementary schools	39.7%		22.2	660^th of 865 public elementary schools	23.7%	139	32.9	26.3	16.9	25.7	48.7	45.3	33.8	43.0	9.9	$23,378	$2,361	$21,017
Summit Hall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	101 W Deer Park Rd	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 284-4150	413	44	9.4	67.6%	8 (1.9%)	80 (19.4%)	300 (72.6%)	16 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	13	780^th of 864 public elementary schools	9.7%		14.4	763^rd of 865 public elementary schools	11.8%	17	22.7	17.7	10.9	17.1	22.7	12.9	10.9	15.1	4.3	$26,523	$3,079	$23,444
Gaithersburg Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	35 N Summit Ave	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-4900	603	63	9.6	67.5%	10 (1.7%)	95 (15.8%)	456 (75.6%)	18 (3.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.6%)	12.9	786^th of 864 public elementary schools	9.0%		13.2	791^st of 865 public elementary schools	8.6%	5	19.5	8.9	11.5	13.1	15.9	17.6	22.9	19.0	9.3	$25,304	$2,866	$22,438

Frequently Asked Questions about Candlewood Elementary

What district is Candlewood Elementary in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

Is Candlewood Elementary a good school?

Candlewood Elementary ranks 184^th of 864 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Candlewood Elementary attend?

Students who attend Candlewood Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Shady Grove Middle
High : Col. Zadok Magruder High

How many students attend Candlewood Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 358 students attended Candlewood Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Candlewood Elementary?

Students at Candlewood Elementary are 37% White, 26% Hispanic, 15% African American, 12% Asian, 9% Two or more races.

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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.