Sparks Elementary

Summary:

Sparks Elementary is a public elementary school in Sparks, MD, serving 472 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Baltimore County Public Schools district, which is ranked 17 out of 25 in Maryland and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sparks Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Maryland, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in MCAP Mathematics and English Language Arts are significantly higher than the Baltimore County and Maryland state averages across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, Sparks Elementary had an 86.6% proficiency rate in MCAP ELA, compared to 41.9% for Baltimore County and 48.4% for the state. The school's performance on the MCAP Science assessment for 5th grade is also impressive, with a 59% proficiency rate in 2023-2024, compared to 21.2% for Baltimore County and 23.9% for the state.

Sparks Elementary has a predominantly white student population, with 83.26% of students identifying as white in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the racial diversity of the nearby schools like Timonium Elementary and Carroll Manor Elementary. The school also has a relatively low percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 4.82% to 12.5% over the past three school years, which is lower than the nearby schools. These factors suggest that Sparks Elementary serves a relatively affluent and homogeneous community, which raises questions about the school's ability to address the needs of a more diverse student population.

Detail:

Public K-5

601 Belfast Rd
Sparks, MD 21152-9129

(410) 887-7900

District: Baltimore County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
9^th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,609

Students who attend Sparks Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Hereford Middle
High:	Hereford High

Student/teacher ratio: 16.7

Number of students: 497

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.5%

Asian:

7.6%

Hispanic:

6.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 13.3%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Sparks Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Sparks Elementary ranks better than 99% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 3^rd among 108 ranked elementary schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 97.84. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (81.5%), Asian (7.6%), Hispanic (6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 13.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sparks Elementary is 16.7. 84 elementary schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Sparks Elementary employs 29.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sparks Elementary is $17,609. 70 elementary schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Sparks Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Baltimore County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Baltimore County Public Schools 17^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Sparks Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Sparks Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	1.96	785^th	803	2.2%
2005	3.13	776^th	805	3.6%
2006	5.20	768^th	804	4.5%
2007	5.31	775^th	818	5.3%
2008	80.99	117^th	838	86.0%
2009	76.39	187^th	850	78.0%
2010	83.53	76^th	855	91.1%
2011	80.63	108^th	853	87.3%
2012	82.11	78^th	857	90.9%
2013	85.97	34^th	847	96.0%
2014	85.56	65^th	867	92.5%
2015	92.43	54^th	859	93.7%
2016	96.05	16^th	845	98.1%
2017	95.73	26^th	847	96.9%
2018	97.92	10^th	857	98.8%
2019	96.26	25^th	853	97.1%
2021	94.57	43^rd	802	94.6%
2022	95.80	29^th	862	96.6%
2023	96.73	21^st	855	97.5%
2024	97.84	9^th	859	99.0%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Sparks Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	89.41	57^th	796	92.8%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sparks Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	95.06	31^st	788	96.1%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Sparks Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	85.59	48^th	528	90.9%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Maryland State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Sparks Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	372	12	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	-1	387
1990	380	17	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	403
1991	440	12	11	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	463
1992	421	11	11	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	443
1993	428	10	12	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	450
1994	417	10	14	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	441
1995	259	7	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	272
1996	259	7	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	272
1997	251	14	7	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	272
1998	261	16	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	282
1999	283	14	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	302
2000	394	13	16	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	428
2001	410	13	18	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	453
2002	456	11	16	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	496
2003	456	11	16	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	496
2004	452	8	20	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	491
2005	470	12	21	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	512
2006	460	17	18	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	501
2007	455	23	11	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	498
2008	476	21	13	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	518
2009	455	33	10	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	512
2010	482	36	24	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	554
2011	467	28	27	20	0	0	14	0	556
2012	483	20	34	22	0	0	15	0	574
2013	485	20	32	17	0	0	12	0	566
2014	478	16	36	14	0	0	16	0	560
2015	453	13	32	13	0	0	15	0	526
2016	455	13	30	7	0	0	13	0	518
2017	437	13	32	9	2	0	16	0	509
2018	440	13	33	9	2	0	19	0	516
2019	413	11	33	12	2	0	15	0	486
2020	424	16	37	14	2	1	15	0	509
2021	399	21	34	14	2	1	14	0	485
2022	394	18	31	18	2	0	14	0	477
2023	393	11	32	23	0	0	13	0	472
2024	405	11	38	30	0	0	13	0	497

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Sparks Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	387	18.7	20.6	n/a
1990	403	19.8	20.3	2.7
1991	463	21.5	21.5	1.7
1992	443	22.7	19.5	2.3
1993	450	22.3	20.2	2.2
1994	441	22.5	19.6	2
1995	272	16.7	16.3	2.9
1996	272	16.7	16.3	2.9
1997	272	15.4	17.7	4.8
1998	282	15.9	17.7	5.3
1999	302	16.0	18.9	4
2000	428	22.7	18.9	1.4
2001	453	23.7	19.1	2.2
2002	496	24.0	20.7	1.2
2003	496	24.0	20.7	1.2
2004	491	28.6	17.2	0.8
2005	512	30.0	17.1	4.1
2006	501	28.0	17.9	2.6
2007	498	28.0	17.8	2.8
2008	518	32.0	16.2	4.6
2009	512	31.2	16.4	8
2010	554	33.0	16.7	7.9
2011	556	33.3	16.6	5.8
2012	574	33.2	17.2	5.7
2013	566	34.9	16.2	5.8
2014	560	31.3	17.8	4.8
2015	526	32.0	16.4	4
2016	518	29.0	17.8	3.9
2017	509	29.3	17.3	4.7
2018	516	30.6	16.8	5.4
2019	486	31.0	15.6	4.7
2020	509	33.7	15.1	6.9
2021	485	34.3	14.1	8.2
2022	477	34.3	13.8	4.8
2023	472	32.3	14.6	12.5
2024	497	29.7	16.7	13.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Sparks Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	387	18.7	20.6	n/a
1990	403	19.8	20.3	2.7
1991	463	21.5	21.5	1.7
1992	443	22.7	19.5	2.3
1993	450	22.3	20.2	2.2
1994	441	22.5	19.6	2
1995	272	16.7	16.3	2.9
1996	272	16.7	16.3	2.9
1997	272	15.4	17.7	4.8
1998	282	15.9	17.7	5.3
1999	302	16.0	18.9	4
2000	428	22.7	18.9	1.4
2001	453	23.7	19.1	2.2
2002	496	24.0	20.7	1.2
2003	496	24.0	20.7	1.2
2004	491	28.6	17.2	0.8
2005	512	30.0	17.1	4.1
2006	501	28.0	17.9	2.6
2007	498	28.0	17.8	2.8
2008	518	32.0	16.2	4.6
2009	512	31.2	16.4	8
2010	554	33.0	16.7	7.9
2011	556	33.3	16.6	5.8
2012	574	33.2	17.2	5.7
2013	566	34.9	16.2	5.8
2014	560	31.3	17.8	4.8
2015	526	32.0	16.4	4
2016	518	29.0	17.8	3.9
2017	509	29.3	17.3	4.7
2018	516	30.6	16.8	5.4
2019	486	31.0	15.6	4.7
2020	509	33.7	15.1	6.9
2021	485	34.3	14.1	8.2
2022	477	34.3	13.8	4.8
2023	472	32.3	14.6	12.5
2024	497	29.7	16.7	13.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sparks Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$400 (3.2%)	$11,946 (96.8%)	$12,347
2020	$448 (3.1%)	$14,105 (96.9%)	$14,552
2021	$668 (4.4%)	$14,627 (95.6%)	$15,295
2022	$1,091 (7.0%)	$14,475 (93.0%)	$15,565
2023	$1,692 (9.6%)	$15,916 (90.4%)	$17,609

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sparks Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 25^th of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 21^st of 855 Elementary schools	0.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	486	472	2.9%
African American	11	11
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	33	32	3%
Hispanic	12	23	91.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	413	393	4.8%
Two or More Races	15	13	13.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	4.7%	12.5%	7.8%

Schools Near Sparks Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAP Mathematics (2024)				MCAP English Language Arts (2024)				MCAP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sparks Elementary	Public	K-5	601 Belfast Rd	Sparks	21152	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7900	497	30	16.7	13.3%	405 (81.5%)	11 (2.2%)	30 (6.0%)	38 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.6%)	97.8	9^th of 859 public elementary schools	99.0%		96.7	21^st of 855 public elementary schools	97.5%	12	75.9	83.5	80.7	80.2	81.0	95.6	81.9	86.6	59.0	$17,609	$1,692	$15,916
Warren Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	900 Bosley Rd	Cockeysville	21030	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7665	390	22	17.4	49.2%	115 (29.5%)	147 (37.7%)	93 (23.8%)	20 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.8%)	45.8	410^th of 859 public elementary schools	52.3%		41.7	442^nd of 855 public elementary schools	48.3%	32	30.6	24.5	27.1	27.7	51.4	45.3	47.4	48.4	21.7	$16,523	$1,738	$14,785
Padonia International Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9834 Greenside Dr	Cockeysville	21030	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 887-7646	567	41	13.8	59.1%	41 (7.2%)	130 (22.9%)	298 (52.6%)	78 (13.8%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.3%)	18.9	669^th of 859 public elementary schools	22.1%		28.2	561^st of 855 public elementary schools	34.4%	108	12.1	14.5	16.3	14.2	14.3	36.0	32.9	27.3	9.4	$18,957	$2,021	$16,937
Mays Chapel Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	12250 Roundwood Road	Timonium	21093	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 809-4134	574	36	15.7	28.7%	251 (43.7%)	101 (17.6%)	85 (14.8%)	91 (15.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.7%)	76.6	193^rd of 859 public elementary schools	77.5%		79	172^nd of 855 public elementary schools	79.9%	21	55.7	51.2	35.8	47.5	63.8	75.0	60.4	66.2	31.9	$17,727	$2,045	$15,682
Jacksonville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3400 Hillendale Heights Rd	Phoenix	21131	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7880	504	30	16.9	7.1%	423 (83.9%)	12 (2.4%)	20 (4.0%)	26 (5.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.4%)	97	19^th of 859 public elementary schools	97.8%		95.5	34^th of 855 public elementary schools	96.0%	15	78.9	66.7	69.1	71.9	87.8	87.7	80.5	85.4	57.3	$16,875	$1,746	$15,129
Pot Spring Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2410 Spring Lake Dr	Timonium	21093	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7648	433	27	16.1	42.0%	155 (35.8%)	101 (23.3%)	135 (31.2%)	24 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.2%)	63.6	283^rd of 859 public elementary schools	67.1%		58.3	310^th of 855 public elementary schools	63.7%	27	65.6	34.3	29.1	41.4	67.2	54.3	38.5	52.2	36.7	$16,984	$1,721	$15,263
Pinewood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Rickswood Rd	Timonium	21093	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7663	587	35	16.9	16.4%	350 (59.6%)	47 (8.0%)	34 (5.8%)	117 (19.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.6%)	97.3	15^th of 859 public elementary schools	98.3%		97.9	11^th of 855 public elementary schools	98.7%	4	71.2	80.4	75.0	75.4	83.0	93.1	81.6	86.2	68.0	$15,617	$1,412	$14,204
Fifth District Elementary	Public	K-5	3725 Mount Carmel Rd	Upperco	21155	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 809-1726	273	18	15.3	15.0%	235 (86.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (8.1%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.4%)	96.8	20^th of 859 public elementary schools	97.7%		97.4	16^th of 855 public elementary schools	98.1%	4	71.4	69.0	75.0	72.1	83.7	90.2	82.1	84.9	55.4	$18,674	$1,832	$16,842
Timonium Elementary	Public	K-5	2001 Eastridge Rd	Timonium	21093	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-7661	455	31	14.4	16.0%	279 (61.3%)	29 (6.4%)	50 (11.0%)	75 (16.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.8%)	96.7	21^st of 859 public elementary schools	97.6%		96.8	18^th of 855 public elementary schools	97.9%	3	75.3	76.3	68.9	73.5	74.0	88.0	81.3	81.2	72.0	$18,379	$1,718	$16,661
Carroll Manor Elementary	Public	K-5	4434 Carroll Manor Rd	Baldwin	21013	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-5947	345	24	14.2	5.5%	302 (87.5%)	7 (2.0%)	14 (4.1%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.2%)	96.7	22^nd of 859 public elementary schools	97.4%		93.6	51^st of 855 public elementary schools	94.0%	29	76.7	81.4	75.5	77.9	75.0	88.1	79.2	80.8	56.6	$17,624	$1,703	$15,921

Frequently Asked Questions about Sparks Elementary

Is Sparks Elementary a good school?

Yes! Sparks Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 9^th of 859 Maryland elementary schools.

How many students attend Sparks Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 497 students attended Sparks Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Sparks Elementary?

Students at Sparks Elementary are 81% White, 8% Asian, 6% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Sparks Elementary attend?

Students who attend Sparks Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Hereford Middle
High : Hereford High

What district is Sparks Elementary in?

Baltimore County Public Schools

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.