Ellicott Mills Middle, Ellicott City MD

Original Research by School Decision on Ellicott Mills Middle

Ellicott Mills Middle School sits in a suburban pocket of Ellicott City, one of Maryland’s highest-cost housing markets, where the typical home value sits well above the national figure and rents are steep. The school serves grades six through eight within the Howard County Public Schools system, a district that recently opened a new high school, adopted a strategic plan focused on attendance and early literacy, and has seen notable increases in teacher pay. For a family moving into the area, the academic picture at Ellicott Mills is a story of two subjects.

English language arts results are strong across all three grade levels. A large majority of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders score at or above the state’s proficient level, and social studies performance in eighth grade is similarly high. Science performance in eighth grade also reaches a solid majority. These are strengths worth noting. The school appears to deliver in reading, writing, and content-area literacy.

Mathematics is a different matter. Sixth-grade math proficiency is at a level that a reasonable share of students meet, but by seventh grade that share drops sharply, and by eighth grade it falls to a very low figure. The math scores in the upper grades are soft enough that a parent would want to understand what is going on. Some students take Algebra 1 or Geometry, and those who do perform at high levels, which suggests that advanced math pathways are available and effective for the students placed in them. The broader middle-school math experience, however, may not be serving the majority well. This is worth a direct conversation with the school about curriculum, pacing, and support.

The school enrolls a student body that is demographically diverse. Roughly two out of five students are Asian, about three out of ten are white, and the remainder are Black, Hispanic, multiracial, and other backgrounds. The share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals is modest, which aligns with the broader affluence of the area. Special education and English learner counts were not available in the data used here, so a parent with a child in those programs should verify services directly.

Ellicott Mills is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. The data does not indicate any specialized program offerings or Title I status. The school sits within Howard County, a system that has been increasing per-pupil spending and prioritizing middle school math proficiency as part of its strategic plan. That district-wide attention may eventually shape what happens at Ellicott Mills, but for now the math results stand as a clear concern.

The surrounding community of Ellicott City is a mix of a historic downtown and sprawling suburban neighborhoods. County government is a major employer. The historic district along Main Street suffered devastating floods a few years ago, and a large flood-mitigation tunnel project is underway. Housing costs in the area are high, and the schools are a major draw for families. The district’s broader reputation is strong, but Ellicott Mills Middle School presents an uneven academic profile that families should investigate: excellent literacy and social studies, but a math trajectory that weakens markedly as students move through the grades.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 661%

School 61% · district not reported

▲ 48 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 725%

School 25% · district not reported

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 88%

School 8% · district not reported

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 679%

School 79% · district not reported

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 779%

School 79% · district not reported

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 877%

School 77% · district not reported

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Science

Grade 860%

School 60% · district not reported

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 879%

School 79% · District 63% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 49 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

This schoolHoward County Public Schools, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income46%Higher-income80%34 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income25%Higher-income57%32 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income15%Higher-income56%41 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income9%Higher-income52%43 pp gap