Broad Ford Elementary vs Crellin Elementary

Broad Ford Elementary and Crellin Elementary sit 4.9 miles apart in Oakland, Maryland, but their state rankings tell a striking story. Broad Ford Elementary holds the #27 position out of 1,363 Maryland schools — a strong result by any measure. Crellin Elementary, however, ranks #5 out of 1,363 Maryland schools, placing it among a tiny handful of the state's highest-rated schools. That gap shows up in their overall scores: Broad Ford Elementary rates 9.2/10 while Crellin Elementary rates 9.5/10 — a 0.3-point difference that compresses what is in reality a substantial statewide rank separation.

The academic and growth scores sharpen that picture. Crellin Elementary scores 9.2/10 in academics versus Broad Ford Elementary's 8.2/10 — a full point difference indicating meaningfully higher measured proficiency. On growth, both schools perform exceptionally, with Crellin Elementary at 9.9/10 and Broad Ford Elementary at 9.5/10. That 0.4-point growth gap suggests students at Crellin Elementary are advancing at a slightly faster pace even from a higher academic baseline, which is a rare combination.

The two schools differ considerably in size and classroom feel. Broad Ford Elementary enrolls 547 students compared to Crellin Elementary's 144 — nearly four times the population. That smaller enrollment at Crellin translates to a very different experience in one key way, though not in staffing ratios: Broad Ford Elementary runs a 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio versus Crellin Elementary's 16.0:1, meaning Broad Ford actually offers more adult attention per student despite its larger total headcount. The economic profiles are nearly identical — free and reduced lunch eligibility sits at 67% at Broad Ford Elementary and 68% at Crellin Elementary — so neither school serves a meaningfully wealthier population.

One practical distinction for families with younger children: Broad Ford Elementary serves grades PK through 5, offering a pre-kindergarten option that Crellin Elementary does not, as Crellin begins at kindergarten. Families seeking a pre-K placement alongside older siblings have only one option of the two.