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Needs Improvement

#1266 of 1,363 schools in MD

Essex Elementary

Elementary School · Baltimore County Public Schools · Baltimore, MD

A Baltimore County Public Schools elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

100 Mace Ave, Baltimore, MD 21221

  • Math 21% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 33% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.2Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-5.59 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.7Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency20.8% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency33.2% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-9.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-17.9 pts
Overall Proficiency27% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)28% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-1.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile39th
Resources & Environment4.0Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.5:1
District spending per student$18,666
Chronic Absenteeism34.3%

Students at Essex Elementary score 27% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 28%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency21%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency33%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 16 points since 2020, reaching 27% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
92%
ELA
92%
2010
Math
88%
ELA
90%
2011
Math
92%
ELA
93%
2012
Math
88%
ELA
89%
2013
Math
84%
ELA
87%
2014
Math
19%
ELA
26%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
29%
2016
Math
25%
ELA
24%
2018
Math
25%
ELA
29%
2019
Math
25%
ELA
29%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
15%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
15%
2022
Math
16%
ELA
20%
2025
Math
21%
ELA
33%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from MD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

67.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Essex Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 70Very Walkable
  • Transit 48Some Transit
  • Bike 47Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High5,784/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Baltimore), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$67,368

Median home value

$266,800

Median rent

$1,305/mo

College educated

19.8%

Homeownership

59.3%

Poverty rate

12.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 21221; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Sussex ElementaryEnrollment path unverified2.7PK–50.7 mi445Compare →
Deep Creek ElementaryEnrollment path unverified2.6K–51.3 mi414Compare →
Mars Estates ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.8PK–51.6 mi350Compare →
Sandalwood ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.7PK–51.6 mi460Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Baltimore County Public Schools

Schools in district
179
Rank in district
#127 of 169
District spending per student
$18,666NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

Essex Elementary is listed in Baltimore County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Essex Elementary

Essex Elementary is a public elementary school in Baltimore, MD, part of Baltimore County Public Schools, serving approximately 446 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.6 out of 10 and ranks #1,266 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Essex Elementary

What grades does Essex Elementary serve?

Essex Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Essex Elementary?

Essex Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 446 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Essex Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Essex Elementary is 16.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Essex Elementary rank in MD?

Essex Elementary ranks #1,266 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Essex Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Essex Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.6 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Essex Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Essex Elementary has 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Essex Elementary a charter school?

No, Essex Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Essex Elementary a Title I school?

No, Essex Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Essex Elementary?

67.5% of students at Essex Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
446
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
27
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Baltimore County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
34.3%
Area population (ZIP 21221)
43,536
Area average commute
30.3 min
Area median age
41.7
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MCAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MCAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 21221; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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