Francis Scott Key Elementary/middle, Baltimore MD

Original Research by School Decision on Francis Scott Key Elementary/middle

FrancisScott Key Elementary/Middle is a regular public school in Baltimore serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It sits on East Fort Avenue in the city’s Locust Point neighborhood, a historic residential area near the Patapsco River and within walking distance of Fort McHenry. The school shares its name with the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which Francis Scott Key wrote after witnessing the bombardment of the fort during the War of 1812. The city itself has a dense, walkable urban fabric with many historic districts, a port-based economy, and anchors such as the Inner Harbor, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and the Johns Hopkins medical campus. A major infrastructure project to replace the collapsed bridge bearing the school’s name is underway and expected to complete in the near future.

Academically, the school shows a sharp split by subject. On Maryland’s state assessments, reading and English language arts scores are a clear strength across most grades. A strong majority of students in grades three through seven meet or exceed state standards, and eighth-grade proficiency, while lower, still reaches a substantial share. Mathematics presents a different picture. In third grade, a majority of students are proficient, but that share falls by about half by fifth grade and drops further in sixth. By seventh and eighth grade, very few students reach the proficient mark. Science proficiency in fifth grade is moderate, while in eighth grade it is lower. Social studies at eighth grade, tested by the state, also shows a modest share of students meeting standards. The school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Baltimore city, though the comparison set is a small one. Notably, the school offers algebra I and geometry for middle schoolers, and the geometry proficiency rate is very strong, but the majority of students tested in that subject were likely eighth graders taking the course, which may explain the contrast with the grade-level math results.

The student body is diverse in racial and economic terms. Roughly equal shares of students are white and Black, with a smaller but notable share of Hispanic students and a small number of Asian and multiracial students. A moderate share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, suggesting the school draws from a range of income levels. Enrollment is relatively stable across grades, with a bulge in sixth through eighth that indicates the community continues to send students through the middle grades rather than leave for other options.

The school is part of Baltimore City Public Schools. No major school-level changes that would directly affect families have been publicly reported in recent years.

For a family considering this school, the story is one of contrasts. The elementary grades deliver strong reading outcomes and a solid start in math. Middle school mathematics becomes a challenge, and a parent would want to understand how the school supports students who are not on an advanced math track. The overall academic environment, especially in English, is well above the local average. The neighborhood itself offers a walkable, historic setting within the city, with housing values and rents that are moderate relative to the broader region. The school is a neighborhood option that serves a mixed-income community. For a family seeking a stable, diverse elementary and middle school strong in literacy, Francis Scott Key is a compelling fit, but the math trajectory through the middle grades warrants a closer look.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 362%

School 62% · district not reported

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 45 pts above county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · district not reported

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 46 pts above county median

Grade 549%

School 49% · district not reported

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

Grade 632%

School 32% · district not reported

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

Grade 77%

School 7% · district not reported

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

Grade 82%

School 2% · district not reported

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

English language arts

Grade 371%

School 71% · district not reported

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 46 pts above county median

Grade 471%

School 71% · district not reported

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 49 pts above county median

Grade 559%

School 59% · district not reported

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

Grade 660%

School 60% · district not reported

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Grade 769%

School 69% · district not reported

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 847%

School 47% · district not reported

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Science

Grade 535%

School 35% · district not reported

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Grade 824%

School 24% · district not reported

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

Social studies

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 17% · ▲ 13 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 18 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 5Lower-income8%Higher-income42%35 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income54%Higher-income61%8 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income19%Higher-income41%23 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income8%Higher-income17%9 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income10%Higher-income27%17 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income7%Higher-income12%5 pp gap