Summary:
Zip code 21794 in West Friendship, MD, is home to a single, exceptional elementary school, West Friendship Elementary, which serves grades K-5 and is part of the highly-ranked Howard County Public Schools district.
West Friendship Elementary is a standout performer, consistently ranking in the top 3% of all elementary schools in Maryland over the last three years, earning a 5-star rating each year. Its academic proficiency rates far exceed both the district and state averages. For example, 70.6% of students are proficient in mathematics compared to 42.1% in the district, and 81.4% are proficient in English Language Arts versus 65.9% district-wide. The school also boasts a low student-teacher ratio of 12.9:1, high per-student spending of $20,049, and a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 6.1%, all of which contribute to a highly supportive learning environment.
While overall performance is elite, a notable trend is a decline in math proficiency as students progress, dropping from 75.9% in 3rd grade to 63.2% in 5th grade, suggesting a potential area for targeted support. Conversely, 5th-grade science is a standout strength, with 72.4% proficiency—nearly 25 points above the district average. The school’s low free/reduced lunch rate of 8.17% indicates a predominantly higher-income student population, and its consistent top-tier results over multiple years demonstrate a stable, high-quality educational system.
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