Summary:
In zip code 20723 (Laurel, MD), there are four elementary schools serving grades PK/K through 5, all part of the highly-rated Howard County Public Schools district, which ranks 4th in Maryland.
Hammond Elementary is the clear top performer, ranking 139th in the state with a 4-star rating and leading in math (56.6% proficient) and English Language Arts (66.8% proficient). In contrast, Laurel Woods Elementary is the lowest-ranked school (463rd, 2-star rating) with the lowest test scores and highest chronic absenteeism (22.8%). Gorman Crossing Elementary stands out for its exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 9.8%—the only school below the district average—while achieving strong ELA results (62.1% proficient). Forest Ridge Elementary falls in the middle, with moderate performance and a 40.8% free/reduced lunch rate.
A key finding is the inverse relationship between spending and performance: Laurel Woods spends the most per student ($22,128) but has the lowest scores, while Hammond spends the least ($16,153) and achieves the highest. Socioeconomic factors strongly correlate with outcomes, as schools with higher free/reduced lunch percentages (Laurel Woods at 58.4%, Forest Ridge at 40.8%) tend to have lower test scores and higher absenteeism. Additionally, math proficiency declines across all schools from 3rd to 5th grade, suggesting a need for stronger upper-grade math support. On a positive note, Laurel Woods has shown year-over-year improvement, with its state rank rising from 539th to 463rd and ELA proficiency jumping from 36.9% to 42.6%.
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