The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 19% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Sandalwood Elementary
Sandalwood Elementary is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in the southeastern part of Baltimore, near the city line with Dundalk. It belongs to Baltimore County Public Schools, a large district that surrounds but does not include the city of Baltimore itself, so the school sits inside the city limits but operates under the county’s governance. The school’s enrollment is substantial for an elementary school, with classes that appear consistently sized across the grades. The student body is diverse: a large majority of students are Black, with a notable share of Hispanic students, a smaller group of students who identify as two or more races, and a small number of white and Asian students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic circumstances of the surrounding neighborhood.
State test results from the most recent school year offer a mixed picture. In English language arts, roughly half of third graders scored at or above the proficient level, and the same was true for fourth and fifth graders, though at a slightly lower rate. In math, proficiency levels were lower across all tested grades, with about a quarter to a third of students meeting the bar in third grade and fewer than that in both fourth and fifth grade. Science results for fifth graders were low. Compared to other schools serving similar grade spans, these are soft spots. A parent considering Sandalwood would want to ask the school directly how it supports students who are not yet at grade level in math and what interventions or programs are in place.
Baltimore itself is a large city that has moved from an industrial past toward a service economy anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and the port. Dense historic neighborhoods like Fell’s Point and Federal Hill give parts of the city a walkable character, though the school’s area is more suburban in feel, with single-family homes and some older rowhouses. The city’s population has declined slightly in recent years. Housing values in the zip code that includes Sandalwood are below the state median, and rents are moderate relative to local incomes, making this a more affordable corner of the region for families.
The district has made several recent changes that matter for a family with elementary-age children. Baltimore County Public Schools adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum starting in the 2023-2024 school year, aligned with the science of reading and emphasizing phonics and phonemic awareness. This is a broad shift in how reading is taught across all county elementary schools. A new cell phone policy restricts phone use during instructional time, though this is more directly relevant for older students. Voters have also approved a bond issue for school security improvements, so physical safety upgrades are in progress at district schools. On district finances, the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is channeling increased state funding toward expanding pre-K, raising teacher salaries, and strengthening college and career readiness programming.
Sandalwood does not offer programs like magnet or charter options; it is a traditional neighborhood school. The school’s strengths lie in its English language arts instruction, where a solid share of students across grades reach proficiency, and in the consistency of its class sizes across the grade levels, which suggests stable staffing. The main area where a parent would want to probe further is math achievement, where the results are weaker, particularly in the upper elementary grades. The school’s size means it has enough students to offer grade-level peers, but it is not so large that a child might get lost. For a family living within its attendance zone, the primary consideration is whether the school’s academic profile, especially in math, aligns with what they expect for their child.
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