Armistead Gardens Elementary/Middle vs Windsor Hills Elementary/Middle

Armistead Gardens Elementary/Middle and Windsor Hills Elementary/Middle are both Baltimore elementary/middle schools, but the overall rating gap between them is a concrete 1.0 point — Armistead Gardens at 9.0/10 versus Windsor Hills at 8.0/10. That gap widens in state context: Armistead Gardens ranks #61 of 1,363 schools in Maryland, placing it in the top 5% statewide, while Windsor Hills ranks #257 of 1,363, a strong result in its own right but a meaningful step below. For parents who prioritize competitive standing within Maryland's public school landscape, the distance between these two schools is not marginal.

Academically, Armistead Gardens Elementary/Middle scores 8.6/10 versus Windsor Hills Elementary/Middle's 7.7/10 — a 0.9-point delta that reflects measurable differences in tested proficiency. Growth scores are closer: Armistead Gardens posts a 9.9/10 against Windsor Hills's 9.5/10, meaning both schools are doing an exceptional job advancing students relative to their starting points, with Armistead Gardens holding a slim 0.4-point edge. A family weighing raw achievement versus year-over-year momentum will find both schools performing near the top of the state on growth, but Armistead Gardens pulling ahead on absolute academic attainment.

The enrollment difference is the starkest demographic contrast. Armistead Gardens serves 767 students versus Windsor Hills's 246, making Windsor Hills roughly one-third the size. Student-teacher ratios are nearly identical — 12.6:1 at Armistead Gardens versus 12.9:1 at Windsor Hills — so class sizes won't meaningfully differ. However, the free-and-reduced-lunch rate at Windsor Hills is 88% compared to 74% at Armistead Gardens, a 14-percentage-point gap that signals Windsor Hills draws from a higher-poverty population while still delivering strong academic outcomes.

Both schools serve grades PK through 8, so families with children spanning the elementary-to-middle transition can stay in one building at either location. The seven-mile distance between them means neighborhood proximity will likely drive the practical choice for many Baltimore families. No magnet or specialty program distinctions are reflected in the available data, so the decision rests squarely on the rating, ranking, and demographic factors above.