Summary:
This analysis examines six elementary schools in the 21228 zip code (Catonsville area), all part of the Baltimore County Public Schools district, serving grades PK-5 in a community with a wide range of school performance levels.
In the 21228 zip code, Hillcrest Elementary and Westchester Elementary are the standout performers, ranking in the top 10-11% of all Maryland elementary schools. Hillcrest leads with a 5-star rating and exceptional MCAP proficiency rates (60.8% Math, 75% ELA), while Westchester boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (5.9%) and the lowest economic disadvantage rate (26.59% free/reduced lunch). At the other end, Johnnycake Elementary struggles significantly, ranking in the bottom third of the state with the highest chronic absenteeism (23.3%) and the highest poverty rate (70.1%). Woodbridge Elementary is a notable outlier, achieving strong academic scores (50.5% Math, 63.5% ELA) and a 4-star rating despite having the second-highest economic disadvantage rate (66.12%), likely due to its exceptionally low chronic absenteeism (5.8%). Catonsville Elementary shows a concerning "dip" in Math proficiency, dropping from 62.7% in 3rd grade to 31.9% in 5th grade.
Key metrics reveal that the zip code average for Math proficiency (46.9%) and ELA proficiency (58.7%) far exceeds the district averages (21.9% Math, 34.1% ELA). Chronic absenteeism averages 12.3% across the zip code, well below the district's 25.6%. Interestingly, per-student spending shows an inverse relationship with performance: the highest-spending schools (Westowne Elementary at $18,945 and Catonsville at $18,248) are mid-to-low performers, while the top-performing Hillcrest spends the least ($15,963). This suggests that factors like school culture and family engagement, rather than raw funding, are the primary drivers of success in this area.
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