The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in English language arts. The lowest is 75% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on West Friendship Elementary
West Friendship Elementary sits in a semi-rural pocket of Howard County, a community where large farms and historic homes still line gently rolling hills, even as new suburban subdivisions with spacious houses on large lots become more common. The school itself is a regular public elementary serving kindergarten through fifth grade. Its enrollment is small, reflecting both the community’s character and the school’s grade band.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Asian cohort and smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. A very small fraction of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a figure consistent with West Friendship’s status as one of the most affluent communities in the state. Most residents commute to jobs in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, and the area is car-dependent, with no traditional downtown. The school’s location on Frederick Road puts it near the junction of two major highways, a short drive from the commercial nodes and civic anchors—like the Howard County Fairgrounds and a system of parks—that define local life.
On the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, West Friendship Elementary’s students perform at a high level. In English language arts, proficiency rates across third, fourth, and fifth grades are strong, with the combined result across all tested grades placing the school in a very favorable position relative to state averages. Math results are also solid, with third and fourth grade showing clear strength and fifth grade in a range that suggests strong performance as well. Fifth-grade science results, from the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment, land in a healthy range. The data carries only a single year of assessment results, so there is no trend to examine.
Because West Friendship Elementary serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report and no high-school-level metrics such as college and career readiness or chronic absenteeism data that a parent might find for a secondary school. The school has no Title I status, no magnet designation, and no charter status. Information on discipline, staffing, and special populations such as students with disabilities or English learners was not available in the data provided.
The school sits within Howard County Public Schools, a district that recently opened a new high school and adopted a strategic plan centered on early literacy, math proficiency, attendance, and college and career readiness. The district has also seen notable growth in teacher salaries and per-pupil spending, which carries implications for county budgeting and property taxes. A family considering West Friendship Elementary should understand that this is a small, well-resourced elementary school in a wealthy, largely car-dependent community where most students arrive from high-income homes. Academically, the school is posting strong results. The peer environment is one of very low poverty, and the community’s trajectory shows steady residential growth. For parents who want an elementary school with high test scores in a semi-rural setting that remains under development pressure, this fits that profile.
See more original research from School Decision →