The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Curtis Bay Elementary
Curtis Bay Elementary is a regular public school in Baltimore serving children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It operates as part of Baltimore City Public Schools, the city’s single school district.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with smaller shares of white students and students who identify as two or more races. A substantial majority of families qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a marker of the economic circumstances many households in this part of the city face. The school does not report data on students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about its special education and language support programs.
On Maryland’s state assessments, given in grades three through five, Curtis Bay Elementary’s results are low in absolute terms. In English language arts, roughly a quarter to a third of students in grades three and four scored at the proficient level, but the rate dropped to about one in six by fifth grade. In math, proficiency rates decreased across the grades, from about one in four third graders to roughly one in eight fifth graders. Fifth graders also took the state science assessment, where about one in ten students reached proficiency. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s combined proficiency level places it in the top quartile when compared with the other districts within Baltimore city — a relative standing that reflects the broader challenges faced by many schools in the city rather than strong absolute performance. The school offers no advanced or accelerated coursework because it serves only elementary grades.
Because the school ends at fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism and disciplinary actions were not available in the provided records.
The school is located in the Curtis Bay neighborhood in southern Baltimore, a city that has shifted from an industrial base to a service economy anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and University and the Port of Baltimore. Baltimore is dense and walkable in many areas, with historic districts and a concentration of cultural and civic institutions around the Inner Harbor. The city’s population has seen a slight decline in recent years, and a major infrastructure project — replacement of the Francis Scott Key Bridge — is underway with a projected completion in the late 2020s. Housing values in the area are moderate relative to the state and national benchmarks, and rents have been rising modestly.
The school district’s recent changes and strategic priorities were not available in the data, so there is no public information here about new initiatives or shifts that might affect families in the near term.
Curtis Bay Elementary is a neighborhood school serving a high-poverty population in a large, historic city. The academic results are low, and the school’s strong relative position within Baltimore’s school landscape does not change that reality — a parent considering this school should expect to find a student body with substantial economic need and test scores that reflect that context. Families interested in the school may want to inquire directly about class sizes, teacher experience, and the specific supports the school offers for reading and math instruction, as well as any enrichment opportunities available to younger students.
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