The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mccormick Elementary
McCormick Elementary is a regular public school in Baltimore, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It sits within Baltimore County Public Schools, a large district that covers both suburban and urban communities around the city. The school itself is located in the city of Baltimore, a place shaped by historic neighborhoods like Fell’s Point and Federal Hill, a shift from heavy industry to a service economy anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and University, and a population that has seen a slight decline in recent years. The school’s immediate context is a city with a dense, walkable urban fabric and major civic anchors including the Inner Harbor and Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
The student body is relatively modest in size for an elementary school serving these grades. A substantial majority of students come from households with low income, as reflected in the share qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. Racially and ethnically, the enrollment is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of Hispanic, white, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those support structures.
On the state assessments administered through the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, results are low across all tested subjects and grade levels. In math, the proportion of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level was very small in third grade, even smaller in fourth, and still quite low in fifth. In English language arts, the figures were higher than in math but still well below a majority, with fourth grade showing a somewhat stronger result than third or fifth. In fifth-grade science, only a small fraction reached proficiency. These results come from a single school year, so there is no trend data to show whether performance is improving or declining. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate.
Several district-wide changes are relevant to any family considering this school. Baltimore County Public Schools adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, aligned with the science of reading, which may be influencing instruction at McCormick. The district also implemented a new cell phone policy starting in 2024-2025, restricting phone use during instructional time for all grade levels, including elementary. Boundary changes affecting some feeder systems took effect in 2025-2026, though these pertained to higher grade levels. A voter-approved bond issue funded school safety and security improvements across the district, including secure entrances and cameras. Additionally, the state’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is increasing funding and expanding pre-K access, which could affect the prekindergarten program at this school.
Housing in the area around the school is at a moderate price level relative to national benchmarks, with rents slightly below the national median. The typical home value in the zip code is below both the state and national averages, and the estimated rent-to-income ratio is within a typical range. The local unemployment rate and mortgage rates are in line with national conditions.
McCormick Elementary is a neighborhood school serving a high-poverty student population in an urban setting. Academic achievement on state tests is low across the board, and a parent would want to look into how the school is addressing these results, what interventions and supports are in place, and how the new district literacy curriculum is being implemented in the classroom. The school’s small size and pre-K through fifth-grade span make it a typical feeder into a middle school pathway, but no data on attendance, discipline, or staffing was available to round out the picture.
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