Summary:
This analysis examines six elementary schools in the 20850 zip code of Rockville, Maryland, all part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district, serving grades PK-5 in a suburban area with a mix of neighborhood schools and one specialized center.
Fallsmead Elementary and Lakewood Elementary are the standout academic leaders, both ranking in the top 10% of Maryland elementary schools with 5-star ratings and significantly outperforming district and state averages in Math, ELA, and Science. Beall Elementary shows a strong upward trend, moving from the 82nd to 87th percentile in state rankings. In contrast, Maryvale Elementary and College Gardens Elementary have lower proficiency rates despite having smaller class sizes and higher per-pupil spending. Carl Sandburg Center is a unique outlier—a specialized center with only 65 students, a 3.4:1 student-teacher ratio, and per-pupil spending of $76,425, serving a high-needs population with 0% proficiency rates and 46.7% chronic absenteeism.
A key finding is that spending does not equal performance: Fallsmead Elementary, the top performer, has the lowest per-pupil spending ($17,557) and highest student-teacher ratio (16:1), while Maryvale Elementary spends more ($22,292) with a lower ratio (13.5:1) but performs worse. Chronic absenteeism is a strong indicator of performance, with Fallsmead at 9.8% and College Gardens at 23.6%. Overall, families in this area have excellent options, with Fallsmead and Lakewood leading academically, while Beall offers consistent improvement and Carl Sandburg Center provides specialized support for students with significant needs.
Thank you for your feedback!