Summary:
Zip code 21053 in Freeland, MD, is home to a single elementary school, Prettyboy Elementary, which serves grades K-5 and stands out as a high-performing outlier within the Baltimore County Public Schools district.
Prettyboy Elementary consistently earns a 4-star rating and ranks in the top 15% of all Maryland elementary schools (85th percentile for 2025-2026), a stark contrast to its district’s 2-star rating and 28th percentile ranking. Academically, the school significantly outperforms both district and state averages on the MCAP tests. For example, 54.5% of students are proficient in math (compared to 27.1% statewide), and 70.6% are proficient in English Language Arts (compared to 51.7% statewide). The school also boasts a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.3%, far below the district’s 25.6%, and only 10.12% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Per-student spending is $18,984, and the student-teacher ratio is 16.8:1.
A notable internal trend is a sharp decline in math proficiency by grade level, dropping from 77.4% in 3rd grade to 34.6% in 5th grade—a 42.8 percentage point decrease that is steeper than the state’s decline. Despite this, the school still outperforms state averages at every grade level. Overall, Prettyboy Elementary is a standout school in a lower-performing district, offering strong academic results, excellent attendance, and a stable learning environment for its students.
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