Highland View Elementary vs Westover Elementary

Highland View Elementary and Westover Elementary are both Silver Spring elementary schools serving PK–05, but their ratings tell meaningfully different stories. Highland View Elementary scores 9.5/10 versus Westover Elementary's 8.9/10 — a 0.6-point gap that translates into a significant difference in statewide standing: Highland View Elementary ranks #14 of 1,363 Maryland schools while Westover Elementary ranks #84 of 1,363. Both land in the top 10 percent of the state, but Highland View sits in rarified company near the very top of that tier.

The academic and growth data reinforce that gap with hard numbers. Highland View Elementary earns a 9.4/10 academic score versus Westover Elementary's 8.7/10 — a 0.7-point delta that represents a real and consistent difference in measured proficiency. The growth score spreads even wider: Highland View Elementary posts a 9.8/10 against Westover Elementary's 8.9/10, meaning Highland View students are gaining ground academically at a faster rate relative to their peers statewide, not just performing well at a single point in time.

The two schools serve noticeably different student populations. Highland View Elementary enrolls 380 students versus 299 at Westover Elementary, giving Highland View a larger community while still maintaining a slightly lower student-teacher ratio — 12.7:1 compared to Westover Elementary's 13.0:1. The free and reduced lunch rates diverge sharply: 56 percent of Highland View Elementary students qualify, compared to 30 percent at Westover Elementary. This means Highland View is serving a substantially higher share of economically disadvantaged families and achieving its top-tier outcomes across a broader socioeconomic range — a meaningful equity story that the raw ratings alone don't capture.

Both schools cover the same grade span, PK through 5th grade, so families won't find a program-level difference in years served. The schools sit 4.9 miles apart in Silver Spring, making them realistic alternatives for families whose address falls between attendance zones or who have open-enrollment options. The choice comes down to what a family prioritizes: Westover Elementary's lower economic diversity and still-excellent #84 ranking, or Highland View's higher-growth, higher-diversity profile at #14 in the state.