The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Winand Elementary
Winand Elementary is a regular public school in the Baltimore County Public Schools district, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It sits in the western part of Baltimore, a city that has moved from heavy industry to a service-based economy, with Johns Hopkins Hospital and University as its largest employers. The school’s address carries a Baltimore mailing address, and the city itself is dense with historic districts, walkable blocks, and major civic anchors such as the Inner Harbor and Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Baltimore’s population has seen a slight decline in recent years, but the region remains a significant employment center.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving grades PK through five. The student body is predominantly Black, with small shares of white, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a marker that the school serves a population with considerable economic need. Data on special education and English learner status was not reported in the available records.
On state assessments, the picture is mixed and shows a clear pattern. In English language arts, third graders posted a result that was notably strong, with a majority of students scoring proficient. Fourth graders were close behind, with about half reaching proficiency. Fifth grade ELA results were reported as a range that fell below that level, though still within a moderate band. In math, the story was different. Third graders showed proficiency about two out of five students, but fourth graders landed lower, and fifth graders again came in with a reported range that was lower still. Science scores for fifth graders were well below both the ELA and math proficiency levels. Any parent considering the school will want to look into the math and science results further, particularly because they show a pattern of decline from grade to grade, and to ask how the school supports students in those subjects.
Because only a single year of data was available, no trend can be assessed. The comparison set that would place the school relative to other districts in Baltimore County could not be calculated, because only one entity in that set had the necessary data.
The district has made several changes that affect Winand Elementary. 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 directly shapes what happens in classrooms here. The district also implemented a new cell phone policy restricting phone use during the school day, though that policy is less of a factor at the elementary level. The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is in motion, bringing increased state funding and an expansion of pre-kindergarten, which has a direct impact on the early grades Winand serves. Parents may want to ask how the school’s pre-K program has grown and whether the additional funding has affected class sizes or support staff.
Home values in the surrounding area sit near the national median, with rents rising somewhat faster than the national average. The local housing market is moderately priced relative to the state as a whole, and a typical mortgage payment would exceed the median rent, reflecting the usual math of owning versus renting in this part of the Baltimore region.
The school is a neighborhood elementary in a large urban district, with a student body that is largely Black and economically diverse. Its strongest point on paper is third-grade reading, while math and science proficiency is an area where the data suggests a school visit and a conversation with the principal would be worthwhile for any family.
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