Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 21205

This analysis examines three elementary/middle schools in Baltimore, MD, zip code 21205, serving grades PK through 8 as part of the Baltimore City Public Schools district, which faces significant educational challenges compared to state averages.

In this zip code, Armistead Gardens Elementary/Middle stands out as the highest-performing school, consistently scoring above the district average in both Math (25.4% proficiency) and English Language Arts (44.7% proficiency). It is the only school in the area to receive a 2-star rating from Schooldigger and has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 32.0%, significantly better than the district average of 46.4%. In contrast, Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle is the most challenged, with the lowest proficiency rates in the zip code—only 2.9% in Math and 12.8% in ELA—and the highest chronic absenteeism at 58.0%. Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership sits in the middle but still performs well below district averages, with a Math proficiency rate of just 7.4% despite its partnership with a prestigious university.

Key takeaways include a stark disparity between schools, with a 22.5 percentage point gap in Math proficiency between Armistead Gardens and Tench Tilghman. Chronic absenteeism strongly correlates with academic performance, as schools with lower absenteeism tend to have higher test scores. All three schools have per-student spending well above the national average, ranging from $22,781 to $24,687, yet results vary widely, suggesting that resource utilization and socioeconomic factors play a critical role. Notably, Armistead Gardens shows a glimmer of hope in upper grades, with 8th-grade ELA proficiency (54.0%) exceeding the state average.