The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 13% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Grange Elementary
Grange Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the Baltimore County Public Schools district. The school is located in Baltimore and draws its attendance area from the surrounding residential neighborhood. With an enrollment that is modest for an elementary school serving this full grade band, the student body is majority white, with a substantial combined share of students who are Black, Hispanic, and two or more races, and a smaller Asian and American Indian population. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a figure that places the school among those serving a higher-needs population within the county.
State assessment results from the MCAP in English language arts and math, as well as the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment, are available for grades three through five. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above varies noticeably by grade. Third-grade proficiency is lower, while fourth and fifth grades show a meaningfully higher share reaching that bar. In math, proficiency rates are lower across all three tested grades, and the pattern is consistent from one grade to the next. On the fifth-grade science exam, the proportion of students scoring proficient or above is similar to the math results. Only one year of testing data is available in the data provided, so there is no trend line to examine for improvement or decline. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how the school supports the students who are not yet meeting the proficiency bar, particularly in math and science, and whether there are interventions in place.
The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate is reported. Information on special education and English learner populations was not available in the data, which limits a full picture of student support services. Civil rights and discipline data were also absent. On the staffing and attendance side, no data was provided, so it is not possible to speak to class sizes, teacher experience, or chronic absenteeism patterns.
Grange Elementary is not a charter or magnet school, and the data does not indicate a Title I status, though the high share of students eligible for meal assistance suggests the school may serve a population that would qualify for federal support. The school offers no specialized program data in the material provided, so families looking for particular academic tracks or enrichment offerings would need to inquire directly with the school or the district about what is available.
The district, Baltimore County Public Schools, has been making several changes that affect all elementary schools. A new elementary literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading was adopted starting in the 2023-2024 school year, emphasizing phonics and comprehension, which represents a significant shift in how reading is taught. The district also implemented a cell phone policy restricting phone use during instructional time for elementary students, meaning phones must be stored and silenced all day. Voters approved a bond issue for school safety improvements, including secure entry systems and cameras, which applies to Grange Elementary as part of the district. The Blueprint for Maryland's Future is bringing increased state funding and moving toward universal pre-K, which may expand access at schools like Grange. Additionally, boundary changes have been approved for certain feeder systems in the county, though the data does not specify whether Grange Elementary is directly affected by those changes.
Housing in the area around the school, based on the zip-code-level data, shows home values that are well below the national benchmark, and rents are lower than the national average as well. The local housing market appears to be relatively affordable compared to broader trends. Baltimore itself is a city with a mix of historic residential neighborhoods and a service-oriented economy anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and University, the Inner Harbor, and the Port of Baltimore. The city has seen a slight population decline in recent years, and a major infrastructure project is underway replacing the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
For a family considering Grange Elementary, the central questions are about the school's academic support for students who are below proficiency in math and science, and what the school environment and classroom experience look like on a daily basis. The literacy curriculum shift in the district may influence outcomes in coming years, but the available data only provides a single year snapshot. The school serves a high-need population in a modest-sized elementary setting within a large county district undergoing significant policy changes.
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