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Below Average

#1085 of 1,363 schools in MD

Sandalwood Elementary

Elementary School · Baltimore County Public Schools · Baltimore, MD

A Baltimore County Public Schools elementary school where students score 14 points above what's typical for similar communities.

900 S Marlyn Ave, Baltimore, MD 21221

  • Math 27% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 45% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.3Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-5 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.8Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency26.6% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency44.8% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-3.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-6.3 pts
Overall Proficiency36% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)21% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected+14.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile67th
Resources & Environment3.6Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.8:1
District spending per student$18,666
Chronic Absenteeism47.2%

Students at Sandalwood Elementary score 36% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 21%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency27%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency45%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 25 points since 2020, reaching 36% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
76%
ELA
80%
2010
Math
98%
ELA
82%
2011
Math
98%
ELA
92%
2012
Math
91%
ELA
91%
2013
Math
83%
ELA
88%
2014
Math
18%
ELA
27%
2015
Math
21%
ELA
25%
2016
Math
20%
ELA
24%
2018
Math
21%
ELA
27%
2019
Math
21%
ELA
27%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
14%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
14%
2022
Math
15%
ELA
32%
2025
Math
27%
ELA
45%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 43% (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

77.8%

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 Sandalwood 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 46Car-Dependent
  • Transit 47Some Transit
  • Bike 39Somewhat 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–50.9 mi445Compare →
Deep Creek ElementaryEnrollment path unverified2.6K–51.0 mi414Compare →
Mars Estates ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.8PK–51.4 mi350Compare →
Middleborough ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.6PK–51.4 mi312Compare →

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
#94 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

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

About Sandalwood Elementary

Sandalwood Elementary is a public elementary school in Baltimore, MD, part of Baltimore County Public Schools, serving approximately 460 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.7 out of 10 and ranks #1,085 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Sandalwood Elementary

What grades does Sandalwood Elementary serve?

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

How many students attend Sandalwood Elementary?

Sandalwood Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 460 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Sandalwood Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Sandalwood Elementary is 14.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Sandalwood Elementary rank in MD?

Sandalwood Elementary ranks #1,085 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Sandalwood Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Sandalwood Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.7 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 Sandalwood Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Sandalwood Elementary has 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Sandalwood Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Sandalwood Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

77.8% of students at Sandalwood 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
460
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
31
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Baltimore County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
47.2%
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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