Summary:
The six elementary schools in the 21227 zip code of Baltimore, Maryland, serve approximately 2,880 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade and are part of the Baltimore County Public Schools district, which ranks in the 28th percentile statewide.
This area presents a stark contrast in school performance. Arbutus Elementary and Relay Elementary are the standout high-performers, both earning 3-star ratings. Arbutus leads the zip code with 42.4% math proficiency and 54.3% English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency, significantly outpacing district averages. Relay also excels, particularly in math. On the other end, Lansdowne Elementary and Riverview Elementary are critically struggling, with Lansdowne ranking in the bottom 8% of Maryland schools and Riverview in the bottom 15%. Their proficiency rates are roughly one-third of state averages. Halethorpe Elementary sits in the middle, while Baltimore Highlands Elementary also faces significant challenges.
The most critical factor for success in this zip code is chronic absenteeism. The top-performing schools, Arbutus and Relay, have absenteeism rates around 14-15%, while the lowest-performing schools, Lansdowne and Riverview, have rates exceeding 26% and 31%, respectively. This near-perfect inverse relationship suggests that improving attendance is the most impactful intervention. Interestingly, higher spending does not guarantee better results; Halethorpe spends the most per student ($26,659) but is a mid-tier performer, while Arbutus spends less ($20,254) and achieves the best outcomes. The area also has high economic disadvantage, with an average of 67.8% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, yet Arbutus proves that high poverty does not have to dictate low performance.
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