The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Halstead Academy
Halstead Academy is a regular public elementary school in Baltimore County, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of Baltimore County Public Schools, one of the largest districts in Maryland. The school sits in a residential area of Baltimore County, near the city of Baltimore itself. Baltimore County is a large suburban and semi-urban jurisdiction that surrounds the independent city, and the school’s address carries a Baltimore postal designation. The city of Baltimore has a mix of historic neighborhoods, a service-oriented economy anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and University, and a walkable urban fabric with many preserved historic districts. The area has seen a modest population decline in recent years, while a major infrastructure project to replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge is underway. Housing values in the school’s zip code are moderate compared to national benchmarks, and rents have been rising.
The school itself has a moderate enrollment for its grade band. The student body is predominantly Black, with a substantial share of Hispanic students and small proportions of white, Asian, and multiracial students. A large majority of students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a high level of economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the availability of special education and language support services.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Halstead Academy’s results are low across all tested subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above ranged roughly from one in seven to one in five across grades three through five. In mathematics, proficiency was lower, ranging below one in ten across all three tested grades. In science, which is assessed at grade five only, proficiency was also about one in ten. These are the first available assessment results; multi-year trend data covers only a single year, so it is not yet possible to see a pattern of improvement or decline. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and comparison data that would place Halstead Academy against other schools in Baltimore County could not be computed for this set, so this profile relies on the school’s own reported numbers.
Halstead Academy is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation. No information on its Title I status, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism was provided. The district, Baltimore County Public Schools, has made several recent changes that affect elementary schools. A new elementary literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading was adopted starting in the 2023-24 school year, emphasizing phonics and comprehension. The district also implemented a cell phone policy restricting use during instructional time, approved attendance boundary changes for several feeder systems effective 2025-26, and is ramping up pre-K expansion and teacher salary increases under Maryland’s Blueprint for a better future plan. Voters approved a bond issue for school safety improvements, including secure entrances and cameras. These district-level shifts shape the environment in which Halstead Academy operates.
For a family considering this school, the academic data points to a setting where a large majority of students are not yet reaching state proficiency benchmarks. The high proportion of students from economically disadvantaged households suggests that many children bring complex needs to the classroom. A parent would want to learn what interventions and supports the school offers, how it uses the new literacy curriculum, and what progress it has made in recent years. The neighborhood context is a moderate-cost area within a large county district, with access to Baltimore’s amenities and institutions. Halstead Academy serves only early grades, so the middle and high school pathway will be determined by the district’s feeder patterns, which have recently been adjusted.
See more original research from School Decision →