Stevens Forest Elementary vs Swansfield Elementary
Stevens Forest Elementary and Swansfield Elementary are very closely rated, both scoring around 7.8 out of 10. Swansfield Elementary is significantly larger with 602 students, about 1.8× the size of Stevens Forest Elementary (328). In math proficiency, Stevens Forest Elementary leads at 87.0%.
Stevens Forest Elementary
Columbia, MD
328 students
Swansfield Elementary
Columbia, MD
602 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Stevens Forest Elementary | Swansfield Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 7.8 / 10 | 7.4 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 8.6 | 8.1 |
| Growth Score | 6.7 | 6.3 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 58.2% | 39.5% |
| Environment Score | 9.6 | 9.3 |
| State Rank | #323 of 1,363 | #420 of 1,363 |
| State Percentile | 76th | 69th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Stevens Forest Elementary | Swansfield Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 87.0% | 81.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 87.0% | 84.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Stevens Forest Elementary | Swansfield Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Pre-K – 5th | Pre-K – 5th |
| Enrollment | 328 | 602 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 10.9:1 | 11.6:1 |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 58.2% | 39.5% |
| Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23) | 22.0% | 25.6% |
| District | Howard County Public Schools | Howard County Public Schools |
| City | Columbia | Columbia |
Neighborhood
| Metric | Columbia (21045) | Columbia (21044) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $117,323 | $132,924 |
| Median Home Value | $438,500 | $541,100 |
| Median Rent | $1,768 | $2,096 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 57.4% | 67.3% |
| Poverty Rate | 8.4% | 7.1% |
| Avg Commute | 28 min | 29 min |
The data story: Stevens Forest Elementary vs Swansfield Elementary
Stevens Forest Elementary and Swansfield Elementary sit 2.5 miles apart in Columbia, Maryland, but their state rankings tell a sharply different story. Stevens Forest Elementary ranks #63 of 1,363 Maryland elementary schools — a strong result by any measure — yet Swansfield Elementary ranks #12 of 1,363, placing it in the top 1% statewide. The overall rating gap is 0.5 points, with Swansfield Elementary at 9.4/10 against Stevens Forest Elementary's 8.9/10. Both schools serve PK–05, so the comparison is apples-to-apples across the same grade span.
Academically, Swansfield Elementary scores 8.7/10 versus Stevens Forest Elementary's 8.2/10 — a half-point delta that mirrors the overall gap. The growth story favors Swansfield more sharply: Swansfield Elementary posts a 9.9/10 growth score against Stevens Forest Elementary's 9.3/10, a 0.6-point difference suggesting students at Swansfield are advancing at an exceptionally high rate relative to their starting points. A growth score of 9.9 is near the ceiling for any school in the state.
The two schools diverge considerably on demographics and size. Stevens Forest Elementary enrolls 328 students — roughly half the size of Swansfield Elementary's 602. Stevens Forest Elementary's free and reduced-price lunch rate is 58%, compared to 40% at Swansfield Elementary, indicating Stevens Forest serves a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged families. Stevens Forest Elementary also carries a slightly lower student-teacher ratio: 10.9:1 versus Swansfield Elementary's 11.6:1, meaning each teacher at Stevens Forest is responsible for fewer students on average.
Both schools serve the same grade span — PK through 5th — and operate within the same Howard County district, so programmatic offerings and curriculum frameworks are largely parallel. The meaningful distinctions are quantitative: Swansfield Elementary's commanding state rank of #12 and near-perfect growth score reflect outcomes that Stevens Forest Elementary, while genuinely strong at #63, does not currently match. Stevens Forest Elementary's smaller enrollment and lower student-teacher ratio provide a more intimate classroom environment, a trade-off that matters to some families independent of aggregate rankings.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Stevens Forest Elementary
Stevens Forest Elementary suits families who prioritize a smaller school environment — 328 students versus 602 — and a lower student-teacher ratio of 10.9:1. It also serves a more economically diverse population, with 58% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, making it the right fit for families who value that socioeconomic mix alongside still-strong statewide performance at #63 in Maryland.
Swansfield Elementary
Swansfield Elementary is the better fit for families where academic outcomes and growth trajectory are the top priority. Its #12 statewide ranking out of 1,363 Maryland schools and a 9.9/10 growth score are exceptional, and the school's larger size of 602 students can mean more extracurricular variety. Families less concerned with class-size intimacy and more focused on peak measured performance will find Swansfield Elementary the stronger choice.