The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Winfield Elementary
Winfield 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 Baltimore city limits, a place that has shifted from an industrial core to a service economy anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and University. The city has more public monuments per capita than any other in the U.S. and a high concentration of historic districts, but its population has seen a modest decline in recent years. A major infrastructure project to replace the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge is underway, with completion projected for the fall of 2028. The school itself is a neighborhood elementary school, not a charter or magnet.
The student body is diverse in composition, with a large majority of students identifying as Black, a smaller share identifying as Hispanic, and very small shares identifying as white, Asian, or two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need that is above the national average. The school's enrollment is small for a K-5 building, which can mean more personal attention from staff and a tighter-knit community feel, but a parent looking for data on special education services or English learner support will find those numbers are not reported here.
Academically, the state assessment results show an area of concern. On the Maryland MCAP tests, the share of students scoring proficient or above in mathematics was in the teens across third, fourth, and fifth grades. In English language arts, the proficiency rates were higher but still low, landing in the upper twenties to low thirties, with fourth graders performing a bit stronger than third or fifth graders. On the fifth-grade science test, the MISA, proficiency was also in the low teens. These are the first year of reported data for this school, so there is no trend to compare. A parent considering Winfield Elementary will want to look into what academic interventions and supports are available, and how the school is working to raise these numbers.
Because Winfield does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The district has been implementing several changes that affect the school. Baltimore County Public Schools adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, which is aligned with the science of reading and emphasizes phonics and phonemic awareness. This means Winfield is teaching reading differently than it did in previous years, a shift that could show up in future test scores. The school is also part of the district's implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, a multi-year state plan that expands pre-K, raises teacher salaries, and boosts college and career readiness funding. For a K-5 school, the pre-K expansion is directly relevant. The district also adopted a district-wide cell phone policy for the 2024-2025 school year that restricts phone use during instructional time, and voters approved a bond issue for school safety and security upgrades that will affect the physical campus.
The housing context around the school shows that home values in the area have been appreciating moderately, and rents have been rising a bit faster. The area is less affordable than the national median, with typical mortgage costs outpacing typical rents. The local unemployment rate has been steady and in line with national figures.
For a family choosing Winfield Elementary, the picture is mixed. The school serves a community with high economic need, and its state test results are low, which is the central fact a parent will weigh. On the other hand, it is a small neighborhood school within a large district that is investing in literacy reform and early childhood expansion. A parent should speak with the principal and teachers about how the school supports students who are below grade level, and about what enrichment opportunities exist within the school day. The available data does not speak to course access, staffing ratios, or disciplinary climate, so those are important questions to ask directly.
See more original research from School Decision →