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Sunset Elementary

Summary:

Sunset Elementary is a public elementary school in Pasadena, Maryland, serving 434 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools district, which is ranked 10th out of 25 districts in Maryland and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sunset Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of White students (76.5%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 50.49% to 89.18% White students. Academically, the school's proficiency rates in mathematics, English Language Arts, and science are generally lower than the Anne Arundel County and Maryland averages. For example, in 2023-2024, Sunset Elementary's overall mathematics proficiency rate was 29.3%, compared to 27.6% for the district and 24.1% for the state. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 30.5% to 38.71% over the past three school years.

When compared to nearby schools like Lake Shore Elementary and Pasadena Elementary, Sunset Elementary's academic performance is generally lower. The school's statewide ranking has also declined over the past several years, from 134th out of 867 Maryland elementary schools in 2013-2014 to 447th out of 859 in 2023-2024. These challenges suggest that Sunset Elementary may benefit from targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes and close achievement gaps.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 8572 Fort Smallwood Rd
       Pasadena, MD  21122-2600

(410) 222-6478

District: Anne Arundel County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
447th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,698 Help


Students who attend Sunset Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Northeast Middle
High:    Northeast High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.3 Help
Number of students:  434

Racial breakdown:

White:
76.5%
Hispanic:
9.4%
African American:
5.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  38.7% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sunset Elementary ranks worse than 52% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 49th among 80 ranked elementary schools in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.22. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (76.5%), Hispanic (9.4%), African American (5.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 38.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sunset Elementary is 15.3. 63 elementary schools in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Sunset Elementary employs 28.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sunset Elementary is $16,698. 49 elementary schools in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Anne Arundel County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Anne Arundel County Public Schools 10th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Sunset Elementary.

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Rank History for Sunset Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 38.31 555th 803 30.9%
2005 46.89 467th 805 42.0%
2006 31.73 598th 804 25.6%
2007 36.51 565th 818 30.9%
2008 68.92 275th 838 67.2%
2009 74.48 215th 850 74.7%
2010 82.35 89th 855 89.6%
2011 78.15 140th 853 83.6%
2012 83.46 60th 857 93.0%
2013 83.73 68th 847 92.0%
2014 81.51 134th 867 84.5%
2015 74.99 207th 859 75.9%
2016 69.64 249th 845 70.5%
2017 59.80 305th 847 64.0%
2018 62.38 304th 857 64.5%
2019 68.24 258th 853 69.8%
2021 53.54 266th 802 66.8%
2022 62.81 301st 862 65.1%
2023 53.51 346th 855 59.5%
2024 41.22 447th 859 48.0%
See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 69.47 64th 546 88.3%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 52.78 264th 796 66.8%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.53 313th 788 60.3%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.46 345th 528 34.7%
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.

Sunset Elementary Test Scores
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Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
0%

0%

100%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, December 22, 2016

Open Quote My rating was average (higher than I would've liked) because of the teaching staff. Many families are looking at pulling their children out of the school because of the Principal. Parents are angered that they are not welcome in the building, children are being bullied, and the Principal is raising her own funds- which isn't transparent. Some parents have begun contacting the Board of Education but more are worried about retaliation toward their children so they are afraid to speak up. Even though the PTA Board Members are constantly giving of their own time, every attempt they make at trying to conduct fundraisers, hold family events, etc... is being stopped and in some way controlled by the Principal. It's so very sad. Hopes were high when a new AP was appointed this year but it seems like she's afraid of the Principal so she doesn't speak up either. Scuttlebutt is that families are hanging on to the fact that the Principal has been here a long time hopefully she'll be (re)moved. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sunset Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 555 9 1 0 0 n/a n/a -1 564
1990 633 7 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 640
1991 664 8 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 674
1992 683 19 7 2 0 n/a n/a 0 711
1993 725 29 4 5 0 n/a n/a 0 763
1994 738 27 5 6 0 n/a n/a 0 776
1995 644 20 8 1 0 n/a n/a 0 673
1996 644 20 8 1 0 n/a n/a 0 673
1997 619 19 8 4 0 n/a n/a 0 650
1998 603 27 9 4 0 n/a n/a 0 643
1999 595 32 7 5 1 n/a n/a 0 640
2000 537 24 6 8 0 n/a n/a 0 575
2001 508 24 8 7 0 n/a n/a 0 547
2002 463 32 8 7 4 n/a n/a 0 514
2003 463 32 8 7 4 n/a n/a 0 514
2004 447 26 9 10 5 n/a n/a 0 497
2005 408 29 8 8 7 n/a n/a 0 460
2006 414 28 7 10 5 n/a n/a 0 464
2007 394 32 12 16 5 n/a n/a 0 459
2008 401 44 10 19 7 n/a n/a 0 481
2009 390 47 7 22 3 n/a n/a 0 469
2010 422 45 14 25 2 n/a n/a 0 508
2011 389 33 8 34 2 0 21 0 487
2012 396 29 7 27 2 0 30 0 491
2013 402 20 9 31 3 0 27 0 492
2014 383 21 12 28 2 0 40 0 486
2015 392 20 14 38 1 0 42 0 507
2016 370 27 14 28 2 0 42 0 483
2017 401 32 10 31 1 0 44 0 519
2018 408 34 12 27 1 1 45 0 528
2019 394 34 9 31 1 1 37 0 507
2020 342 30 10 29 1 1 33 0 446
2021 328 24 9 29 2 1 25 0 418
2022 316 19 9 33 2 4 17 0 400
2023 332 24 8 41 2 4 23 0 434

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 Sunset Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 564 28.2 20.0 n/a
1990 640 28.8 22.2 2.7
1991 674 32.2 20.9 2.4
1992 711 33.0 21.5 5.6
1993 763 32.0 23.8 5.2
1994 776 35.8 21.7 5.5
1995 673 32.1 21.0 5.3
1996 673 32.1 21.0 5.3
1997 650 31.2 20.8 5.8
1998 643 30.6 21.0 5.6
1999 640 30.7 20.8 10
2000 575 29.0 19.8 9.2
2001 547 29.1 18.8 7.5
2002 514 28.8 17.8 9.9
2003 514 28.8 17.8 9.9
2004 497 28.0 17.8 9.1
2005 460 26.0 17.7 10.2
2006 464 33.0 14.1 8.8
2007 459 30.2 15.2 10.7
2008 481 30.7 15.7 12.5
2009 469 30.6 15.3 14.7
2010 508 30.0 16.9 20.5
2011 487 30.2 16.0 24.2
2012 491 30.2 16.2 26.7
2013 492 30.2 16.2 30.1
2014 486 29.9 16.2 28.8
2015 507 28.0 18.1 27
2016 483 28.0 17.2 28.4
2017 519 30.7 16.9 27.7
2018 528 31.7 16.6 22.2
2019 507 30.7 16.5 24.1
2020 446 32.3 13.8 25.8
2021 418 30.7 13.6 31.6
2022 400 31.4 12.7 30.5
2023 434 28.2 15.3 38.7

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 Sunset Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 564 28.2 20.0 n/a
1990 640 28.8 22.2 2.7
1991 674 32.2 20.9 2.4
1992 711 33.0 21.5 5.6
1993 763 32.0 23.8 5.2
1994 776 35.8 21.7 5.5
1995 673 32.1 21.0 5.3
1996 673 32.1 21.0 5.3
1997 650 31.2 20.8 5.8
1998 643 30.6 21.0 5.6
1999 640 30.7 20.8 10
2000 575 29.0 19.8 9.2
2001 547 29.1 18.8 7.5
2002 514 28.8 17.8 9.9
2003 514 28.8 17.8 9.9
2004 497 28.0 17.8 9.1
2005 460 26.0 17.7 10.2
2006 464 33.0 14.1 8.8
2007 459 30.2 15.2 10.7
2008 481 30.7 15.7 12.5
2009 469 30.6 15.3 14.7
2010 508 30.0 16.9 20.5
2011 487 30.2 16.0 24.2
2012 491 30.2 16.2 26.7
2013 492 30.2 16.2 30.1
2014 486 29.9 16.2 28.8
2015 507 28.0 18.1 27
2016 483 28.0 17.2 28.4
2017 519 30.7 16.9 27.7
2018 528 31.7 16.6 22.2
2019 507 30.7 16.5 24.1
2020 446 32.3 13.8 25.8
2021 418 30.7 13.6 31.6
2022 400 31.4 12.7 30.5
2023 434 28.2 15.3 38.7

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 Sunset Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $421 (3.0%) $13,473 (97.0%) $13,894
2020 $541 (3.6%) $14,286 (96.4%) $14,827
2021 $842 (5.4%) $14,800 (94.6%) $15,642
2022 $1,385 (8.2%) $15,559 (91.8%) $16,944
2023 $1,420 (8.5%) $15,278 (91.5%) $16,698

Data source: Maryland Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sunset 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 258th of 853 Elementary schoolsRanks 346th of 855 Elementary schools
 10.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students507434
 14.4%
African American3424
 29.4%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian98
 11.1%
Hispanic3141
 32.3%
Pacific Islander14
 300%
White394332
 15.7%
Two or More Races3723
 37.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients24.1%38.7%
 14.6%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Sunset Elementary

Students at Sunset Elementary are 76% White, 9% Hispanic, 6% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 434 students attended Sunset Elementary.

Students who attend Sunset Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Northeast Middle
High : Northeast High

Sunset Elementary ranks 447th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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.




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