The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in English language arts. The lowest is 20% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Talbott Springs Elementary
Talbott Springs Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in Columbia, a large planned community in Howard County. The school is part of the Howard County Public Schools system, a district that has recently opened a new high school and adopted a strategic plan focused on early literacy, math proficiency, and college and career readiness. The school itself is a regular public elementary school, not a charter or magnet.
The student body is diverse. The largest groups are Hispanic students and Black students, each making up roughly a third of the enrollment, followed by White students at about a fifth. Asian students and students of two or more races each account for a smaller share. Nearly half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that places the school in a different economic context from the affluent countywide average. The school serves prekindergarten through fifth grade, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across those grades.
On state assessments, the school's results show a mixed picture. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above was above half in third and fourth grade, then dropped to just over two-fifths in fifth grade. In math, proficiency rates declined across the grades, from just under half in third grade to about a third in fourth and a quarter in fifth. Science results for fifth graders were lower, with roughly a fifth of students reaching proficiency. These are the only years of state testing data available for the school, so there is no trend to compare against. A parent may want to ask the school how it supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks, particularly in math and science, where the numbers are softer.
The school is located in Columbia, a large planned community of ten villages founded by James Rouse, situated between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Columbia is primarily residential with village centers that provide retail and services, and a downtown area around The Mall in Columbia and Lake Kittamaqundi that serves as the commercial and civic core. The community is highly educated and affluent overall, though Talbott Springs Elementary draws from a part of Columbia where the share of students qualifying for meal assistance is notably higher than the countywide picture. The school sits within a village setting, with the pathway system that connects Columbia's neighborhoods, parks, and schools.
The district, Howard County Public Schools, has been in a period of change. A new high school opened in 2023, which shifted attendance boundaries and feeder patterns for families in parts of the county. The district has also adopted a strategic plan with five focus areas, including reading proficiency by third grade and middle school math proficiency, which directly affect what happens at an elementary school like Talbott Springs. Teacher salaries have risen substantially in recent years, and the district's per-pupil spending has increased accordingly, which may matter to residents concerned about county budget and property tax trends.
Housing in the area around the school is expensive. Home values and rents are well above national medians, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment is high relative to the national median household income. The area has seen home values hold steady recently, with a slight year-over-year decline, while rents have edged up. For a family considering moving into the attendance zone, the cost of housing is a major factor.
The school's academic profile is one where English language arts results are stronger than math and science, particularly in the earlier grades. The share of students meeting proficiency in reading and writing in third and fourth grade was above half, which is a solid starting point. By fifth grade, that share dropped, and in math the pattern was a steady decline from third to fifth grade. Science results for fifth graders were the lowest of any tested subject. A parent may want to ask the school about its approach to math instruction across the elementary years and how it prepares students for the fifth-grade science assessment.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, and staffing were not available in the source materials, so those dimensions of school climate cannot be assessed here. The school is not a Title I school, though nearly half its students qualify for meal assistance, which is a detail a family may wish to clarify with the school directly.
For a family considering Talbott Springs, the picture is of a diverse elementary school in a well-resourced district, with English language arts results that are a relative strength in the early grades and math and science results that are softer. The housing market in Columbia is expensive, and the district has been investing in teacher pay and new facilities, which may affect local taxes. The school sits within a planned community with extensive pathways and village centers, offering a suburban environment with some walkable amenities.
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