Schools in Highland · Howard County Public Schools
Highland’s public schools beat 92% of Maryland districts
The public schools Highland’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 92% of Maryland’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
92%beats similar-income towns
Reading proficiency
49%
▲ 14 pts vs MD 36%
2020–21
Math proficiency
34%
▲ 15 pts vs MD 19%
2020–21
Graduate on time
93%
▲ 6 pts vs MD 87%
class of 2020
Spent per student
$20.3K
▲ 0% vs MD $20.3K
FY2024
Schools
0
The School Grade
How Highland compares
A+ Test scoresB+ Graduation
Maryland school districts we grade (25)Better than 92%
Lower resultsHigher results
Maryland towns with similar household incomes (39)Better than 92%
High confidence. Built on 29,274 tested students and a graduating class of 4,520; ordinary year-to-year swings are unlikely to change it.
How the School Grade works
- Results, not inputs. Math and reading proficiency on Maryland’s state tests against the state average, plus the four-year graduation rate. Spending and class size are shown but don’t count. Tests: 2020–21; graduation: class of 2020.
- The whole path. A town’s grade follows its kids through every district that serves it, weighted by students tested. Tests count 60%, graduation 40%.
- Graded within the state. Each state writes its own tests, so districts are compared with the rest of Maryland only. A+ is the top 5%, A the next 10%, A− the next 10%, the B range the next 30%, the C range the next 30%, D the rest.
- What a grade can’t tell you. Test results track family income, so we also compare towns with similar incomes. Visit, ask other parents, and read neighbor reviews. It’s our own summary of U.S. Department of Education data, not an official rating.
Where will my kid go?
Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Highland.
32 schools teach Pre-K in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Veterans Elementary, Hanover Hills Elementary, Fulton Elementary and Pointers Run Elementary and more.
42 schools teach K in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Veterans Elementary, Hanover Hills Elementary, Fulton Elementary and Pointers Run Elementary and more.
42 schools teach 1st grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Veterans Elementary, Hanover Hills Elementary, Fulton Elementary and Pointers Run Elementary and more.
42 schools teach 2nd grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Veterans Elementary, Hanover Hills Elementary, Fulton Elementary and Pointers Run Elementary and more.
42 schools teach 3rd grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Veterans Elementary, Hanover Hills Elementary, Fulton Elementary and Pointers Run Elementary and more.
42 schools teach 4th grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Veterans Elementary, Hanover Hills Elementary, Fulton Elementary and Pointers Run Elementary and more.
42 schools teach 5th grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Veterans Elementary, Hanover Hills Elementary, Fulton Elementary and Pointers Run Elementary and more.
20 schools teach 6th grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Mount View Middle, Patuxent Valley Middle, Burleigh Manor Middle and Thomas Viaduct Middle and more.
20 schools teach 7th grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Mount View Middle, Patuxent Valley Middle, Burleigh Manor Middle and Thomas Viaduct Middle and more.
20 schools teach 8th grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Mount View Middle, Patuxent Valley Middle, Burleigh Manor Middle and Thomas Viaduct Middle and more.
12 schools teach 9th grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Marriotts Ridge High, Reservoir High, Atholton High and Howard High and more.
12 schools teach 10th grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Marriotts Ridge High, Reservoir High, Atholton High and Howard High and more.
12 schools teach 11th grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Marriotts Ridge High, Reservoir High, Atholton High and Howard High and more.
12 schools teach 12th grade in Highland’s district. Which one depends on your address: Marriotts Ridge High, Reservoir High, Atholton High and Howard High and more.
The path, start to finish
PK–542 elementary schoolsDepends on your address
6–820 middle schoolsDepends on your address
9–1212 high schoolsDepends on your address
The district
Each district’s own page has its spending, test scores, enrollment and every school.
Test scores · 2020–21
Well above the state in reading
Reading49%
State average 35.5%
Math34%
State average 19.2%
Every school in Highland
0 schools. Grades are ours, from state tests and graduation. Stars are from neighbors.
Also serving Highland · in other towns
Veterans Elementary
A−883 students13:1Rate it →
Hanover Hills Elementary
B−875 students12:1Rate it →
Fulton Elementary
A872 students15:1Rate it →
Pointers Run Elementary
A835 students14:1Rate it →
Waverly Elementary
A827 students13:1Rate it →
Bellows Spring Elementary
A−806 students13:1Rate it →
Elkridge Elementary
B798 students14:1Rate it →
Bollman Bridge Elementary
C775 students12:1Rate it →
Northfield Elementary
A764 students16:1Rate it →
Hammond Elementary
A−763 students16:1Rate it →
Gorman Crossing Elementary
B+750 students13:1Rate it →
Centennial Lane Elementary
A749 students14:1Rate it →
Parents talk
What Highland families are saying about school.
Parents weigh in
Live in Highland? Is an A for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Start the conversation
Within reach
Colleges →Colleges near Highland
There’s no college in Highland, but 40 are within 30 miles. The closest is Maryland University of Integrative Health in Laurel, 4 miles away.
Maryland University of Integrative HealthUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Laurel
4 mi131 students
Howard Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Columbia
4.6 mi6,598 students
Lincoln College of Technology-ColumbiaCommunity college · For-profit · Columbia
6.5 mi1,075 students
Yeshiva College of the Nations CapitalUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Kemp Mill
10.8 mi57 students
Capitol Technology UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · South Laurel
11.3 mi242 students
Montgomery CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rockville
12.5 mi15,953 students
SANS Technology InstituteUniversity or college · For-profit · North Bethesda
13.1 mi119 students
University of Maryland-College ParkUniversity or college · Public · College Park
13.8 mi39,078 students
University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyUniversity or college · Public · Catonsville
14 mi13,491 students
Washington Adventist UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Takoma Park
14.1 mi646 students
Straight-line distance from the center of Highland. Degree-granting colleges with students on campus · College Scorecard · IPEDS. 30 more within 30 miles.
School data: U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts, F-33 school finance). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within Maryland. Stars are from neighbors.