Schools in Zip Code 21157

The 15 schools in zip code 21157 (Westminster, MD) are part of the highly-ranked Carroll County Public Schools district and serve a diverse range of students from Pre-K through 12th grade, including six elementary schools, three middle schools, five high schools, and one alternative school.

Among the standard neighborhood schools, Friendship Valley Elementary stands out as the top academic performer with the highest math (62.8%) and ELA (67.6%) proficiency rates, along with the lowest chronic absenteeism (14.2%) among standard schools. For middle schools, Westminster West Middle is the clear leader, outperforming Westminster East Middle in both math (36.9% vs. 24.7%) and ELA (70% vs. 61%), and it excels in advanced math with 62.4% of students proficient in Algebra I. At the high school level, Westminster High leads with an impressive 78.3% ELA proficiency rate, far exceeding state averages, though its math proficiency (22.1%) is notably lower. Winfield Elementary has the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (21.96%) and strong math scores (54.3%), while Robert Moton Elementary requires targeted support with the highest FRL rate (59.32%) and declining state rankings.

The zip code also contains specialized programs like Gateway School, Crossroads Middle School, and Carroll Springs School, which serve students with significant academic or behavioral challenges, resulting in very low test scores and high chronic absenteeism (up to 79.5% at Crossroads) but also very low student-teacher ratios (as low as 3.2:1) and high per-student spending (up to $138,377 at Carroll Springs). A key takeaway is the stark contrast between these two educational worlds within the same zip code, as well as a systemic challenge in high school math instruction despite strong literacy skills at Winters Mill High and Westminster High.