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Average

#539 of 1,363 schools in MD

Top 40% in state

Valley Elementary

Elementary School · Frederick County Public Schools · Jefferson, MD

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

3519 Jefferson Pike, Jefferson, MD 21755

  • Math 44% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 60% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 16.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.3Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-3.7 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.5Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency44.3% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency60.2% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg+14.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+9.1 pts
Overall Proficiency52% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)54% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-1.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile63th
Resources & Environment5.1Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.9:1
District spending per student$16,233
Chronic Absenteeism15.6%

Students at Valley Elementary score 52% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 54%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency44%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency60%(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 52% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
95%
ELA
96%
2010
Math
92%
ELA
97%
2011
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2012
Math
91%
ELA
94%
2013
Math
87%
ELA
92%
2014
Math
45%
ELA
58%
2015
Math
47%
ELA
52%
2016
Math
52%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
58%
ELA
58%
2019
Math
58%
ELA
58%
2020*
Math
25%
ELA
29%
2021*
Math
25%
ELA
29%
2022
Math
48%
ELA
57%
2025
Math
44%
ELA
60%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 62% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 67% (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

28.1%

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 Valley Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Washington DC map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 6Car-Dependent
  • Bike 22Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average436/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$134,677

Median home value

$493,700

Median rent

$1,268/mo

College educated

42.2%

Homeownership

84.8%

Poverty rate

8.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 21755; 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
Frederick Baptist AcademyPrivate · tuition5.9private1–123.8 mi35Compare →
Blue Heron ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.9PK–5Not available707Compare →
Butterfly Ridge ElementaryEnrollment path unverified9.2PK–5Not available619Compare →
Centerville ElementaryEnrollment path unverified9.0PK–5Not available468Compare →

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.

Frederick County Public Schools

Schools in district
69
Rank in district
#33 of 67
District spending per student
$16,233NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
4.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Valley Elementary

Valley Elementary is a public elementary school in Jefferson, MD, part of Frederick County Public Schools, serving approximately 506 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 16.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.9 out of 10 and ranks #539 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 62% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 67% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Valley Elementary

What grades does Valley Elementary serve?

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

How many students attend Valley Elementary?

Valley Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 506 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Valley Elementary is 16.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Valley Elementary rank in MD?

Valley Elementary ranks #539 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Valley Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Valley Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.9 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 Valley Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Valley Elementary has 62% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 67% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Valley Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Valley Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

28.1% of students at Valley 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
506
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
30
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Frederick County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
15.6%
Area population (ZIP 21755)
5,740
Area average commute
29.7 min
Area median age
44.1
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 21755; 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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