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Very Good

#511 of 1,363 schools in MD

Top 37% in state

Patterson Mill Middle School

Middle School · Harford County Public Schools · Bel Air, MD

A Harford County Public Schools middle school where students score 10 points below what's typical for similar communities.

85 Patterson Mill Rd, Bel Air, MD 21015

  • Math 28% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 70% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.2Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-3.75 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.4Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency27.7% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency69.8% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-2.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+18.7 pts
Overall Proficiency49% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)59% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-10.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile48th
Resources & Environment7.6Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.7:1
District spending per student$17,493
Chronic Absenteeism11.9%

Students at Patterson Mill Middle School score 49% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 59%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency28%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency70%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 15 points since 2020, reaching 49% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
85%
ELA
94%
2010
Math
85%
ELA
93%
2011
Math
88%
ELA
93%
2012
Math
89%
ELA
95%
2013
Math
86%
ELA
94%
2014
Math
54%
ELA
71%
2015
Math
57%
ELA
63%
2016
Math
55%
ELA
64%
2018
Math
55%
ELA
60%
2019
Math
55%
ELA
60%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
50%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
50%
2022
Math
26%
ELA
54%
2025
Math
28%
ELA
70%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 57% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 72% (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

20.3%

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 Patterson Mill Middle School 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 19Car-Dependent
  • Transit 21Minimal Transit
  • Bike 25Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,245/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Bel Air), 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

$137,219

Median home value

$418,400

Median rent

$1,730/mo

College educated

52.2%

Homeownership

90.5%

Poverty rate

4.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 21015; 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
Emmorton Baptist AcademyPrivate · tuition5.7privateK–120.5 mi49Compare →
Bel Air MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.46–81.8 mi1,080Compare →
Southampton MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.66–82.8 mi1,194Compare →
Grace Classical AcademyPrivate · tuition5.6privatePK–123.2 mi143Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Harford County Public Schools

Schools in district
55
Rank in district
#30 of 55
District spending per student
$17,493NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Patterson Mill Middle School is listed in Harford County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Patterson Mill Middle School

Patterson Mill Middle School is a public middle school in Bel Air, MD, part of Harford County Public Schools, serving approximately 767 students in grades 6th-8th with a 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10 and ranks #511 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 57% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 72% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Patterson Mill Middle School

What grades does Patterson Mill Middle School serve?

Patterson Mill Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Patterson Mill Middle School?

Patterson Mill Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 767 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Patterson Mill Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Patterson Mill Middle School is 15.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Patterson Mill Middle School rank in MD?

Patterson Mill Middle School ranks #511 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Patterson Mill Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Patterson Mill Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 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 Patterson Mill Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Patterson Mill Middle School has 57% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 72% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Patterson Mill Middle School a charter school?

No, Patterson Mill Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Patterson Mill Middle School a Title I school?

No, Patterson Mill Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Patterson Mill Middle School?

20.3% of students at Patterson Mill Middle School 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
767
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
49
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Harford County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
11.9%
Area population (ZIP 21015)
30,451
Area average commute
32.9 min
Area median age
40.3
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 21015; 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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