The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on New Town Elementary
New Town Elementary, a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Baltimore County Public Schools district, operates in the Owings Mills suburb of Baltimore. The enrollment is large for an elementary school, with just over three-quarters of the student body identifying as Black, a smaller share as Hispanic, a smaller share still as two or more races, an even smaller share as Asian, and a very small share as White. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that a substantial share of families face economic challenges. Data on the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners was not provided.
State testing results from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program offer a mixed picture. In English language arts, performance was strongest in third and fourth grade, where roughly half of students scored at or above the proficient level. That figure dropped more sharply in fifth grade, where just over a third of students met the same benchmark. In math, the pattern was weaker and declined across grades: about a third of third-graders were proficient, slipping to roughly a fifth of fourth-graders and about a fifth of fifth-graders. Science results for fifth grade were similar to math, with fewer than one in five students reaching the proficient threshold. The data represents a single year’s results, so no trend can be established. A parent may want to discuss these proficiency patterns with the school to understand how the curriculum and instruction address the drop in reading performance by fifth grade and the persistently low math and science achievement.
The comparison to other districts in Baltimore County could not be made because the cohort of districts was too small for a meaningful analysis. The school’s own results stand as the primary measure.
Owings Mills is a car-dependent suburban community without a traditional downtown. Commercial and civic life centers on large retail developments, including Mill Station, built on the site of the former Owings Mills Mall, and Foundry Row, which replaced a former Solo Cup factory. Major employers include CareFirst, T. Rowe Price, and the Baltimore Ravens headquarters. The area is growing, with population increases and redevelopment of former industrial and retail sites into new shopping centers and a Stevenson University athletic hub completed in 2022. Housing values and rents in the surrounding zip code are slightly below the statewide benchmark, and the area carries a typical suburban price-to-income ratio, meaning homebuying is moderately expensive relative to local incomes. Public transit exists but a car is near-essential for most errands.
The district, Baltimore County Public Schools, has undertaken several changes that affect New Town Elementary. A new elementary literacy curriculum aligned with the science of reading was adopted starting in the 2023-2024 school year, which is a significant shift in how reading is taught across all elementary grades. A new district-wide cell phone policy restricting phone use during instructional time took effect in 2024-2025, and boundary changes affecting some high school feeder systems were approved for the 2025-2026 school year, though these do not directly impact New Town Elementary’s PK-5 grade span. The district is also implementing the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a state plan that has increased funding and is expanding pre-K access.
New Town Elementary is a large, diverse elementary school where English language arts proficiency is strongest in the earlier grades but math and science achievement are areas of concern. The school sits within a growing suburban community with significant commercial redevelopment, and the district is in the midst of curriculum and policy changes that will shape the classroom experience. Families considering this school should weigh its academic results, particularly in math and science, against whatever support and enrichment the school provides in those subjects, and should ask the school directly about the literacy performance drop in fifth grade.
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