Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/middle, Baltimore MD

Original Research by School Decision on Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/middle

Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle is a regular public school in Baltimore that serves children from prekindergarten through eighth grade, offering a single-building academic pathway for families who want their child in one school from early childhood through middle school. The school sits in the city’s southeastern corridor, not far from the Inner Harbor and the historic neighborhoods of Fell’s Point and Canton. Baltimore itself is an independent city with a storied industrial past that has shifted toward a service economy anchored by the Johns Hopkins medical complex and university, the Port of Baltimore, and a dense urban fabric where nearly a third of buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. The city’s population has seen a modest decline in recent years, and a major infrastructure project to replace the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge is underway with an estimated completion in the next few years.

The student body is diverse, with a substantial share who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the school’s high-poverty catchment. The enrollment is drawn primarily from Black and Hispanic communities, with a small number of white, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.

State assessment results are available for grades three through eight in math and English language arts, for grades five and eight in science, and for grade eight in social studies. The picture is mixed. In math, proficiency rates are consistently low across all tested grades, with a noticeable decline as students move into middle school; the seventh-grade math result is a particular soft spot. English language arts shows more variation: early elementary grades post modest proficiency, but sixth and seventh grade post stronger results, with eighth grade dropping back somewhat. Science proficiency is very low in both tested grades, and social studies in grade eight is also low. A parent considering this school will want to ask how the school supports students who are behind in math and science, and whether the relatively stronger ELA performance in the middle grades reflects a targeted approach that could be expanded.

Because the school ends at eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. No data on chronic absenteeism was available, so that is another topic a prospective parent may wish to raise with the school. The school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades, measured as an index, places it in the top quartile when compared against the other districts in Baltimore city. That relative position should be read with caution: the comparison set is small, and the absolute proficiency levels remain below state averages. Still, it signals that among the city’s district-run schools, Commodore John Rodgers performs at the higher end.

Housing in the school’s zip code is priced near the national median, with home values that have seen a slight year-over-year dip and rents that have edged up. The estimated monthly mortgage cost is lower than typical rent, which may matter for families weighing homeownership. The broader Baltimore market offers a mix of rowhomes, condos, and single-family houses, with walkable neighborhoods and waterfront amenities.

No information on programs such as art, music, or after-school activities was provided, and no staffing ratios were available. The school’s website, if explored, may fill those gaps. For a family that values a K-8 setting in a city with historic character and a diverse, high-poverty student body, Commodore John Rodgers offers a straightforward neighborhood option. The academic data points to real challenges, especially in math and science, that a parent should investigate thoroughly before enrolling. The stronger middle-grade ELA results are a potential bright spot worth understanding in more depth.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 329%

School 29% · district not reported

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 423%

School 23% · district not reported

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 516%

School 16% · district not reported

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 613%

School 13% · district not reported

even with state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 78%

School 8% · district not reported

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 330%

School 30% · district not reported

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 427%

School 27% · district not reported

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 523%

School 23% · district not reported

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

Grade 654%

School 54% · district not reported

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 746%

School 46% · district not reported

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

Grade 839%

School 39% · district not reported

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

Science

Grade 57%

School 7% · district not reported

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 810%

School 10% · district not reported

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 17% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 14 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income6%Higher-income14%8 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income8%Higher-income14%6 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income19%Higher-income35%16 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income19%Higher-income18%1 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income8%Higher-income10%2 pp gap