The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Baltimore International Academy West
Baltimore International Academy West is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Baltimore City Public Schools. It is classified as a regular school, so it follows a standard academic calendar and curriculum structure. The school’s stated mission centers on language immersion, but the available data does not detail the specific languages offered or the program model.
Located on Sidehill Road in Baltimore, the school draws from a city that has shifted from heavy industry to a service-oriented economy, with Johns Hopkins Hospital and University as leading employers. The city’s population has experienced a modest decline in recent years. The school is part of a district that, based on publicly reported information, has not announced major strategic changes of lasting parent impact in the recent period.
The student body of about that size for a K-8 school is predominantly Black, with a small share of students who identify as Hispanic, white, or multiracial. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-need population. Grade-level enrollment is uneven, with notably small numbers of students in grades six, seven, and eight, suggesting that some families may leave after elementary school. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, which a parent may want to ask the school about directly.
On the most recent state assessments, the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program for English language arts and math, proficiency rates were low across the grades where results were reportable. For English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above in third grade was modest, with fourth grade slightly higher and fifth grade slightly lower. In math, proficiency levels were very low in third grade, lower in fourth grade, and minimal in fifth grade. Results for grades six, seven, and eight were suppressed, likely because of small testing groups, so no reliable picture is available for those grades. State science results for fifth grade were also very low. Overall proficiency across all tested subjects and all grades places the school above the midpoint among a small cohort of districts in Baltimore city, but this comparison involves only a handful of districts and reflects a very low overall base.
Because the school serves only through eighth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. A parent evaluating this school should weigh the academic results carefully. The school’s value proposition, if it has one, would likely rest on its language immersion program rather than on conventional test scores. No information was available about course offerings, staffing ratios, or discipline data, so a family considering the school would want to visit, ask about teacher turnover, and confirm that the immersion model is implemented as described. The housing context in the surrounding Baltimore-area zip code is moderately priced relative to the state median home value, and the typical rent falls within a common share of income for the area. For a family seeking a small charter with a special curricular focus in a city neighborhood, this school is an option to investigate directly.
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