Summary:
This analysis examines five elementary schools in the 21146 zip code (Severna Park, MD), all part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools district, serving grades K-5 in a relatively affluent area with an average free/reduced lunch rate of just under 10%.
All five schools are exceptional by state standards, each holding a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 15% of Maryland elementary schools. Benfield Elementary stands out as the consistent top performer, ranking 5th in the state for 2025-2026 and leading the group in Math (68.9%) and ELA (83.4%) proficiency. Severna Park Elementary, the second-smallest school, is a powerhouse with the highest 4th-grade Math (80%) and ELA (89.1%) scores. Folger Mckinsey Elementary achieves top-tier results (1st in Science at 70.2%) despite having the lowest per-student spending ($14,487) and highest student-teacher ratio (18:1), suggesting high efficiency. In contrast, Oak Hill Elementary presents an anomaly: it has the second-highest spending ($15,855) but consistently ranks lowest in the area across all academic metrics. Jones Elementary has the highest economic need (15.87% free/reduced lunch) and highest per-student spending ($17,481), yet its performance is mid-tier, likely reflecting effective resource allocation to address student challenges.
A key takeaway is the "3rd Grade Peak" in Math, where proficiency is often highest in 3rd grade across all schools—for instance, at Jones Elementary, 3rd-grade Math is 78.7% but drops to 50.8% by 5th grade. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low (average 6.1%) compared to the district average of 19.9%, and the area’s low economic diversity (average FRL under 10%) correlates with its uniformly high performance. For parents, this area offers consistently excellent options, with Benfield and Severna Park leading academically, while Folger Mckinsey demonstrates remarkable efficiency.
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