Howard County schools earn top marks in Maryland’s latest school ratings

For the third consecutive year, the Howard County Public School System earned the highest average star rating in the Baltimore region on the Maryland School Report Card, the state’s annual review of school quality.

The updated ratings show that Howard County had the highest proportion of five-star schools, the highest mark on the report card’s scale. Of the district’s 77 schools, 23% earned a top rating.

While this year’s ratings, released Thursday, show growth for Howard County, state education leaders are mulling over changes to the system. Schools currently earn stars based on factors including graduation rates, attendance and standardized test scores.

5-star schools nearly double

Howard County has 18 five-star schools, nearly doubling the 10 that earned the highest mark last year.

Centennial and Marriotts Ridge high schools returned to five-star status, after dropping to four stars last year.

Rockburn Elementary and Lime Kiln Middle, which had earned five stars last year, dipped to four stars.

This year’s five-star schools are:

• Bushy Park Elementary
• Centennial Lane Elementary
• Clarksville Elementary
• Dayton Oaks Elementary
• Fulton Elementary
• Northfield Elementary
• Lisbon Elementary
• Pointers Run Elementary
• Triadelphia Ridge Elementary
• Waverly Elementary
• West Friendship Elementary
• Worthington Elementary
• Clarksville Middle
• Burleigh Manor Middle
• Folly Quarter Middle
• Centennial High
• Marriotts Ridge High
• River Hill High

16 schools improved their ratings

While the majority of Howard’s improved star ratings came from schools that had previously earned four stars but now earned five, it’s also notable that the county has no one-star schools this year. Cedar Lane Special Center, a school for students with disabilities, jumped from one to two stars.

Guilford Park High School, which opened in August 2023, was rated for the first time, earning three stars.

Howard’s other improved schools include:

• Bollman Bridge Elementary, 3 to 4 stars
• Cradlerock Elementary, 3 to 4 stars
• Elkridge Landing Middle, 3 to 4 stars
• Hammond High, 3 to 4 stars
• Laurel Woods Elementary, 3 to 4 stars
• Burleigh Manor Middle, 4 to 5 stars
• Bushy Park Elementary, 4 to 5 stars
• Centennial Lane, 4 to 5 stars
• Centennial High, 4 to 5 stars
• Clarksville Elementary, 4 to 5 stars
• Fulton Elementary, 4 to 5 stars
• Lisbon Elementary, 4 to 5 stars
• Northfield Elementary, 4 to 5 stars
• Marriotts Ridge High, 4 to 5 stars

Some of these schools saw significant improvements in test scores, which can influence their rating.

Marriotts Ridge High saw a 10 percentage-point jump on the state English Language Arts exams, with 87.8% of students passing this year. Hammond High School saw a 5 percentage point increase on the English exams, with 72.5% of students scoring proficient.

Howard vs. the state

Howard County is tied with Calvert County for the second-highest share of five-star schools. In both counties, 23% of schools earned five stars. Worcester County has the greatest proportion of five-star schools, at 27%.

Howard is the only county in Central Maryland with no one-star schools. Baltimore City has the most, with five schools earning a single star, followed by Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties, each with two schools rated one star. Harford and Montgomery counties each have a single one-star school.