The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in English language arts. The lowest is 73% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Bannockburn Elementary
Bannockburn Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in Bethesda, part of the Montgomery County Public Schools system. It is a moderate-sized elementary school within its grade band, located in a residential area of one of the Washington region's most affluent and highly educated communities.
Academically, Bannockburn posts very strong results on Maryland's state assessments. Across the tested grades, a large majority of students score at the proficient or advanced level in both math and English language arts. Third graders, for instance, show particularly high performance in reading, and the pattern holds through fifth grade. Science scores, tested only in fifth grade, are also solid, though slightly lower than the reading and math rates. Only a single year of testing data was available, so there is no trend to examine. Still, the level of proficiency places this school among the stronger performers in a district that itself tends to score well above state averages. No graduation rate applies here since the school ends at fifth grade, and information on chronic absenteeism and discipline was not available in the data provided.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Asian enrollment and smaller shares of Hispanic and Black students. A very small fraction of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the high-income character of the surrounding Bethesda community. Data on students with IEPs and English learners was not included in the available records, so a family wanting to understand special education or language support would need to ask the school directly.
Bethesda itself is a mix of dense commercial and residential development, anchored by the Bethesda Metro station and the nearby Medical Center station serving the National Institutes of Health, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and other federal research institutions. The community is walkable in the downtown core, with a free circulator bus and the Capital Crescent Trail drawing heavy recreational use. Housing values in the area are among the highest in the state, and rents are correspondingly steep. The broader Montgomery County district has adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum as of the 2023-24 school year, a change that affects how reading is taught across all its elementary schools. The district is also conducting a systemwide boundary analysis, which could eventually shift attendance zones, though any such changes have not been finalized.
For a family weighing a move into this attendance area, the picture is clear: Bannockburn Elementary serves a highly advantaged population and delivers very strong academic results on state tests. The school itself operates as a straightforward neighborhood elementary school, with no charter or magnet designation. The surrounding community is dense with professional employment, public transit, and cultural amenities, but the cost of housing is correspondingly high. Parents who value high test scores, a low-poverty student body, and a well-resourced district will find what they are looking for here. Those who want more information on special education services, English learner supports, or long-term boundary plans should follow up directly with the school and the district.
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