Summary:
In zip code 21219, there is a single middle school, Sparrows Point Middle, serving grades 6 through 8 with 555 students as part of the Baltimore County Public Schools district, which is ranked 18th out of 25 districts in Maryland.
Sparrows Point Middle presents a mixed picture for parents. On one hand, the school spends a notably high $17,737 per student, yet its overall academic proficiency in math (11.3%) and English Language Arts (35.4%) falls well below both the district and state averages. The school's state ranking has also declined, dropping from the 45th percentile to the 31st percentile in one year. A particularly concerning trend is the steep drop in math proficiency by grade level: 6th graders score at 12.6%, 7th graders at 4.5%, and 8th graders at just 2.1%, suggesting cumulative learning gaps. Chronic absenteeism affects over a quarter of students (25.7%), matching the district average and likely contributing to the low performance.
However, there is a standout bright spot: the school's Algebra I performance is exceptional. In 2024-2025, 44.3% of students were proficient in Algebra I, which was four times higher than the district average of 11%. This "Algebra I anomaly" indicates that advanced students are thriving, even as the majority struggle in standard math classes. With nearly half of students (48.8%) economically disadvantaged, the school faces significant challenges. The combination of high spending, declining state rank, and falling year-over-year proficiency rates suggests that targeted interventions are needed to reverse the downward trend and ensure all students succeed.
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