Schools in Zip Code 21045

The 11 public schools in zip code 21045 (Columbia, MD) are part of the highly-ranked Howard County Public Schools district and serve students from elementary through high school, with a mix of 7 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools.

Waterloo Elementary stands out as the top performer, earning a 4-star rating and significantly outpacing district averages in both math and English Language Arts (ELA). In contrast, Cradlerock Elementary faces the most challenges, with the lowest state ranking and highest chronic absenteeism rate among elementary schools. At the high school level, Long Reach High shows positive momentum, improving from a 2-star to a 3-star rating, while Oakland Mills High struggles with the lowest graduation rate (84.9%) and highest dropout rate (8.1%) in the area. Math proficiency is a widespread concern, with all schools except Waterloo Elementary falling below the district average of 42.1%, and high schools particularly affected—Oakland Mills High at just 7.8% and Long Reach High at 14.2%.

Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue, especially in secondary schools, where Lake Elkhorn Middle (33.6%) and Oakland Mills High (31.3%) have rates nearly double the district average of 17.4%. This absenteeism strongly correlates with lower academic performance and graduation rates. Interestingly, higher per-student spending does not guarantee better outcomes; schools like Stevens Forest Elementary ($26,356 per student) and Oakland Mills Middle ($24,494) spend more but achieve mid-to-lower academic rankings, suggesting that funding is directed toward supporting higher-need populations rather than directly boosting test scores.