City Springs Elementary/middle, Baltimore MD

Original Research by School Decision on City Springs Elementary/middle

City Springs Elementary/Middle is a charter school operating within Baltimore City Public Schools, serving students from prekindergarten through eighth grade. Located in the city’s historic Fell’s Point neighborhood, the school draws from a densely developed urban area where row houses, waterfront revitalization, and a mix of old and new commercial corridors shape daily life. The school’s enrollment reflects the community it serves: a large majority of students come from low-income households, and the student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and very small numbers from other racial backgrounds.

As a charter school, City Springs has some autonomy over its curriculum and operations while remaining a part of the district. Its grade span means families looking for an elementary and middle school in one building can keep their child in the same school from kindergarten through eighth grade. Because the school does not serve high school grades, graduation and college readiness metrics do not apply; students move on to high school elsewhere after eighth grade.

On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, proficiency rates across all tested subjects were low. In English language arts, the share of students scoring at proficient or above ranged from roughly one-fifth to just over one-third depending on the grade, with the strongest performance appearing in seventh grade. In mathematics, proficiency rates were lower, with most grades showing single-digit percentages and the highest grade, seventh, nearing one-fifth. Science scores, measured only in fifth and eighth grades, were very low. Social studies, tested in eighth grade, showed a proficiency rate in the mid-teens. The school’s overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint compared to the two districts in Baltimore city, a comparison set that includes the district itself and one other. That relative position offers some context, but the absolute proficiency levels remain well below what is typical statewide.

The data available on school environment is limited. No discipline, staffing, or chronic absenteeism figures were reported. No information on course access or program offerings, such as art, music, or advanced coursework, was provided. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these areas, including the range of enrichment available given the charter’s flexibility. The district’s recent administrative changes were not well documented in publicly available sources; no major parent-facing shifts were identified in the research conducted.

Housing in the surrounding zip code reflects typical urban market conditions for Baltimore, with home values and rents around the median for the city. The city’s population has seen modest contraction since the 2020 census, and a major bridge replacement project is underway that may affect regional commuting patterns. The local economy is anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and University, the Port of Baltimore, and a growing service sector. For families considering City Springs, the immediate neighborhood offers walkable streets, historic architecture, and proximity to the Inner Harbor, but school performance metrics are the central fact to weigh. The school serves a high-need population, and its academic results indicate substantial challenges in reaching grade-level benchmarks. For some families, the charter setting and continuity from elementary through middle school may be appealing; for others, the proficiency numbers will be a clear concern worth exploring further with the school and with other families currently enrolled.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 311%

School 11% · district not reported

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 49%

School 9% · district not reported

▼ 18 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 56%

School 6% · district not reported

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 62%

School 2% · district not reported

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 720%

School 20% · district not reported

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 815%

School 15% · district not reported

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 321%

School 21% · district not reported

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 430%

School 30% · district not reported

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 526%

School 26% · district not reported

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 624%

School 24% · district not reported

▼ 21 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 737%

School 37% · district not reported

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 829%

School 29% · district not reported

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Science

Grade 52%

School 2% · district not reported

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 84%

School 4% · district not reported

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 815%

School 15% · District 17% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

This schoolBaltimore City Public Schools, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.