Harlem Park Elementary/middle, Baltimore MD

Original Research by School Decision on Harlem Park Elementary/middle

Harlem Park Elementary/Middle serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in the western part of Baltimore. It is a regular public school within Baltimore City Public Schools, not a charter or magnet. The school provides a single-building setting for children across a wide span of developmental stages, from early childhood through the middle grades, which means families do not need to transition their child to a separate middle school unless they choose to.

The student body at Harlem Park is overwhelmingly composed of Black students, with a very small number of Hispanic, white, and multiracial students also enrolled. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, placing the school in a context where most families are navigating economic constraints. Baltimore itself is an independent city with a service-oriented economy anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and University. The city’s historic neighborhoods and Inner Harbor give it a walkable urban fabric, though the school’s specific neighborhood on West Lafayette Avenue is in a residential part of the city. The district, Baltimore City Public Schools, is the governing body, and no specific recent district-level changes of lasting parent impact were found in publicly reported materials.

State testing results for the most recent year show that proficiency rates across math, English language arts, science, and social studies are low. In math, proficiency in any single grade did not reach a level that would be considered typical for the state. English language arts results are somewhat higher, though still modest. In science, the proficiency rate is very low. Social studies results are similarly low. Because the school serves only pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. These numbers are a soft spot, and a family considering Harlem Park may want to ask the school directly about its academic supports and any improvement plans.

The school’s performance, measured as an overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades, places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts within Baltimore city. This comparison set includes two districts, so the range is narrow, but the position is clear. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no chronic absenteeism or graduation rate data to position alongside its peers.

Housing in the area around Harlem Park reflects a lower-cost market. Home values and rents are well below state and national benchmarks, which aligns with the economic profile of the community. For a parent considering the school, the housing affordability is a practical factor, but it also means the school draws from a population where many families face financial stress.

Program offerings, discipline data, and staffing details were not available in the materials reviewed, so a parent may want to contact the school directly to learn about electives, enrichment, support services for students with disabilities or English learners, and teacher experience. The school’s grade span, pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, means a child could spend up to ten years in the same building, which can provide stability but also means the school must serve very young children and adolescents under one roof.

Overall, Harlem Park Elementary/Middle is a neighborhood school serving a predominantly Black and low-income student population in west Baltimore. Its state test results are low, and a family considering the school should look into what academic interventions, tutoring, and enrichment are available. The school is part of a large urban district with many options, so families may also want to compare it with other schools in Baltimore City Public Schools that fit their child’s needs.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 310%

School 10% · district not reported

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 40%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 52%

School 2% · district not reported

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

Grade 63%

School 3% · district not reported

▼ 11 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 77%

School 7% · district not reported

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

Grade 814%

School 14% · district not reported

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 323%

School 23% · district not reported

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

Grade 43%

School 3% · district not reported

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

Grade 57%

School 7% · district not reported

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 615%

School 15% · district not reported

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 722%

School 22% · district not reported

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 89%

School 9% · district not reported

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Science

Grade 50%

School 0% · district not reported

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

Grade 82%

School 2% · district not reported

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 811%

School 11% · District 17% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below 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.