Summary:
The four public schools in zip code 20759 (Fulton, MD) are part of the top-ranked Howard County Public Schools district and serve students from elementary through high school, including a specialized center, in an affluent suburban community.
Two schools stand out for exceptional academic performance. Lime Kiln Middle is the highest-ranked school in the area, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the 96th percentile among Maryland middle schools. It is a powerhouse for advanced math, with 100% proficiency in Algebra II and 85.3% in Geometry on end-of-course exams. Fulton Elementary also earns a 5-star rating, with English Language Arts proficiency at 80.1% and math at 68.3%, both far exceeding state averages. Reservoir High performs well in ELA (73.2% proficient) but shows a dramatic "math cliff," with overall math proficiency dropping to 21.5% and Algebra I exam proficiency at just 6.4%, likely because top math students take advanced courses early. Cedar Lane Special Center serves a different mission, providing intensive support for students with significant disabilities, reflected in a 4.1:1 student-teacher ratio and per-student spending of $99,895.
Chronic absenteeism strongly correlates with performance: Fulton Elementary (8.2%) and Lime Kiln Middle (8.1%) have excellent attendance, while Reservoir High (22.0%) and Cedar Lane (46.7%) struggle. Free/reduced lunch rates are low at Fulton (7.91%) and Lime Kiln (8.59%), higher at Reservoir (26.24%) and Cedar Lane (30.08%). Overall, this zip code offers a strong educational pipeline for most students, with the key takeaway being the need to monitor math readiness at the high school level for students who do not accelerate in middle school.
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