Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 20855

This analysis examines three elementary schools in zip code 20855 (Rockville/Derwood, MD)—Mill Creek Towne Elementary, Sequoyah Elementary, and Candlewood Elementary—all serving grades PK/K through 5 within the Montgomery County Public Schools district, which is ranked 8th out of 25 districts in Maryland.

Candlewood Elementary is the standout school in this area, ranking 184th out of 864 schools in Maryland (79th percentile) for the 2025-2026 school year. It leads in academic performance with 55% proficiency in Math and 62.9% in English Language Arts, both well above the district averages of 36.9% and 58.5%, respectively. Candlewood also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (15.0%) and the lowest percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch (33.24%). Mill Creek Towne Elementary is a strong performer, ranking 225th (74th percentile) with solid Math proficiency (51.4%) and a remarkable 79% year-over-year improvement in 5th-grade Science (from 27.6% to 49.5%). Sequoyah Elementary is the lowest-performing school in the group, ranking 339th (61st percentile) with the lowest proficiency rates in Math (41.5%) and ELA (48.8%), and its 5th-grade scores are particularly concerning at 34.2% in Math and 38.9% in ELA.

A key finding is that higher spending does not guarantee better results: Sequoyah Elementary has the highest spending per student ($24,556) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (10.6:1), yet it performs the worst academically. In contrast, Candlewood Elementary achieves top results with a higher student-teacher ratio (13.2:1) and slightly lower spending ($24,428). Chronic absenteeism is a major differentiator, with Candlewood’s rate (15.0%) far below the district average (22.6%) and the other two schools (both above 21%). Grade-level performance also varies significantly, with Candlewood’s 5th graders achieving an exceptional 82.4% proficiency in ELA, while Sequoyah’s 5th graders struggle in both subjects.