Empowerment Academy

Q: Is Empowerment Academy a good school?

Empowerment Academy ranks 550 th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Empowerment Academy is a public charter elementary school serving 305 students in grades PK-8 in Baltimore, Maryland, a district ranked 24th out of 25 in the state with a 0-star rating. The school has a predominantly African American student population (98.03%), significantly higher than the nearby schools, which range from 82.44% to 99.59% African American students.

Academically, Empowerment Academy struggles, with proficiency rates in Mathematics (9.5%) and English Language Arts (36.3%) below the Baltimore City Public Schools district (10.2% and 27.7%) and the state of Maryland (24.1% and 48.4%) averages. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Maryland elementary schools, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Despite relatively high spending per student, ranging from $15,570 to $18,845, the school's performance has not improved, suggesting the need for more effective instructional strategies and resource allocation.

While Empowerment Academy faces significant challenges, some nearby schools, such as Matthew A. Henson Elementary and New Song Academy, have shown slightly better academic outcomes in certain grade levels and subject areas. Analyzing the practices and strategies employed by these relatively higher-performing schools could provide valuable insights for Empowerment Academy to improve its own performance and better serve its students and community.

Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-8

851 Braddish Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21216

(443) 984-2381

District: Baltimore City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
550^th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,186

Student/teacher ratio: 12.7

Number of students: 305

Racial breakdown:

African American:

98.0%

Hispanic:

0.7%

Two or more races:

0.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.4%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Empowerment Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Empowerment Academy ranks worse than 64% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 19^th among 101 ranked elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.35. (See more...)

Compare Details Empowerment Academy ranks worse than 58.5% of middle schools in Maryland. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.55. (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: African American (98%), Hispanic (0.7%), two or more races (0.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 73.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Empowerment Academy is 12.7, which is the 14^th best among 101 elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Empowerment Academy employs 24 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Empowerment Academy is $21,186. 67 elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Empowerment Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Empowerment Academy 192^nd of 328 Maryland public middle schools. (See Empowerment Academy in the ranking list.)

Baltimore City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Baltimore City Public Schools 24^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Empowerment Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Empowerment Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2006	81.57	123^rd	804	84.7%
2007	74.52	192^nd	818	76.5%
2008	57.74	413^th	838	50.7%
2009	63.89	341^st	850	59.9%
2010	74.25	215^th	855	74.9%
2011	69.30	252^nd	853	70.5%
2012	63.76	345^th	857	59.7%
2013	66.01	292^nd	847	65.5%
2014	64.62	346^th	867	60.1%
2015	35.85	517^th	859	39.8%
2016	10.49	784^th	845	7.2%
2017	15.90	717^th	847	15.3%
2018	21.68	655^th	857	23.6%
2019	30.44	542^nd	853	36.5%
2022	24.21	640^th	862	25.8%
2023	25.10	594^th	855	30.5%
2024	28.35	550^th	859	36.0%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Empowerment Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	8.25	791^st	796	0.6%

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

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

Rank History for Empowerment Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Empowerment Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile
2009	77.47	68^th	301	77.4%
2010	78.47	65^th	324	79.9%
2011	79.92	58^th	309	81.2%
2012	74.10	87^th	314	72.3%
2013	70.90	99^th	316	68.7%
2014	76.89	83^rd	339	75.5%
2015	31.00	213^th	315	32.4%
2016	20.92	246^th	314	21.7%
2017	42.56	179^th	317	43.5%
2018	40.71	186^th	328	43.3%
2019	31.63	205^th	316	35.1%
2022	26.78	243^rd	333	27.0%
2023	18.44	267^th	322	17.1%
2024	32.55	192^nd	328	41.5%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Empowerment Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	44.75	155^th	273	43.2%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Empowerment Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	22.79	230^th	288	20.1%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Male 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The teachers are not experienced enough to offer a variety of learning experiences. Also, there are only a handful of teachers (4) for the entire middle school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Empowerment Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2004	0	79	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	79
2005	0	127	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	127
2006	0	150	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	150
2007	0	166	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	166
2008	0	191	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	191
2009	0	216	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	216
2010	0	237	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	237
2011	0	238	0	0	0	0	0	238
2012	0	239	0	0	0	0	0	239
2013	0	234	0	2	0	0	0	236
2014	0	255	0	3	0	0	0	258
2015	0	271	0	3	0	0	0	274
2016	0	285	0	3	0	0	0	288
2017	0	257	2	3	1	0	0	263
2018	0	246	2	4	0	0	0	252
2019	0	253	0	2	0	0	0	255
2020	0	260	0	3	0	0	0	263
2021	0	284	0	3	0	0	0	287
2022	1	290	0	3	0	0	2	296
2023	1	299	1	2	0	0	2	305

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 Empowerment Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	79	8.0	9.9	75.9
2005	127	8.0	15.9	77.2
2006	150	10.0	15.0	76
2007	166	12.0	13.8	80.7
2008	191	12.5	15.3	69.6
2009	216	16.0	13.5	66.7
2010	237	17.5	13.5	76.4
2011	238	19.5	12.1	76.1
2012	239	17.0	14.0	76.6
2013	236	18.0	13.1	81.8
2014	258	19.5	13.2	73.6
2015	274	20.0	13.7	71.2
2016	288	21.0	13.7	73.3
2017	263	19.5	13.4	100
2018	252	18.0	14.0	100
2019	255	18.0	14.1	100
2020	263	19.0	13.8	49.4
2021	287	20.0	14.3	64.8
2022	296	22.0	13.4	72.3
2023	305	24.0	12.7	73.4

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 Empowerment Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	79	8.0	9.9	75.9
2005	127	8.0	15.9	77.2
2006	150	10.0	15.0	76
2007	166	12.0	13.8	80.7
2008	191	12.5	15.3	69.6
2009	216	16.0	13.5	66.7
2010	237	17.5	13.5	76.4
2011	238	19.5	12.1	76.1
2012	239	17.0	14.0	76.6
2013	236	18.0	13.1	81.8
2014	258	19.5	13.2	73.6
2015	274	20.0	13.7	71.2
2016	288	21.0	13.7	73.3
2017	263	19.5	13.4	100
2018	252	18.0	14.0	100
2019	255	18.0	14.1	100
2020	263	19.0	13.8	49.4
2021	287	20.0	14.3	64.8
2022	296	22.0	13.4	72.3
2023	305	24.0	12.7	73.4

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 Empowerment Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,228 (13.8%)	$13,967 (86.2%)	$16,196
2020	$1,913 (12.3%)	$13,658 (87.7%)	$15,570
2021	$2,427 (12.9%)	$16,418 (87.1%)	$18,845
2022	$5,073 (26.1%)	$14,331 (73.9%)	$19,404
2023	$1,002 (4.7%)	$20,184 (95.3%)	$21,186

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Empowerment Academy

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 542^nd of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 594^th of 855 Elementary schools	5.9%
Ranks 205^th of 316 Middle schools	Ranks 267^th of 322 Middle schools	18%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	255	305	19.6%
African American	253	299	18.2%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	2	2
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	0	1
Two or More Races	0	2
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	73.4%	26.6%

Schools Near Empowerment Academy

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 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th 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 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th 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
Empowerment Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	851 Braddish Avenue	Baltimore	21216	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(443) 984-2381	305	24	12.7	73.4%	1 (0.3%)	299 (98.0%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	28.4	550^th of 859 public elementary schools	36.0%		25.1	594^th of 855 public elementary schools	30.5%	44	30.3	5.9		6.1	9.1		9.5	39.4	20.6	37.5	45.5	50.0	28.6	36.3		$21,186	$1,002	$20,184
Billie Holiday Elementary	Public	PK, KG-3	2400 W Mosher Street	Baltimore	21216	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0506	217	17	12.7	86.6%	2 (0.9%)	205 (94.5%)	7 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)								(n/a)																$29,820	$1,943	$27,876
Mary Ann Winterling Elementary at Bentalou	Public	PK, KG-5	220 N Bentalou Street	Baltimore	21223	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-1385	320	20	16.0	89.7%	0 (0.0%)	314 (98.1%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	9.5	826^th of 859 public elementary schools	3.8%		6.6	842^nd of 855 public elementary schools	1.5%	16	16.2		10.0				8.6	13.5	14.6	10.0				12.5		$24,444	$1,727	$22,718
Rosemont Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-8	2777 Presstman Street	Baltimore	21216	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0574	258	16	16.1	88.4%	2 (0.8%)	250 (96.9%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	10.2	814^th of 859 public elementary schools	5.2%		13.3	758^th of 855 public elementary schools	11.3%	56	13.6		8.0					8.7		11.5	22.7	15.4	8.8	13.0		$23,948	$2,724	$21,224
Belmont Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1406 N Ellamont Street	Baltimore	21216	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0579	181	16	11.3	87.8%	0 (0.0%)	173 (95.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.3%)	8.5	836^th of 859 public elementary schools	2.7%					(n/a)	19.2	6.5					8.0	7.7	9.7					5.7		$29,236	$2,521	$26,715
Matthew A. Henson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1600 N Payson Street	Baltimore	21217	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0776	218	15	15.0	87.6%	2 (0.9%)	205 (94.0%)	7 (3.2%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	16.7	697^th of 859 public elementary schools	18.9%		11.1	793^rd of 855 public elementary schools	7.3%	96	37.9	17.1	5.7				19.2	11.5	15.2	22.9				17.0	5.9	$25,160	$1,956	$23,204
Harlem Park Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-8	1401 W Lafayette Avenue	Baltimore	21217	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0633	365	21	17.3	92.6%	2 (0.5%)	356 (97.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	5	858^th of 859 public elementary schools	0.1%		5.8	846^th of 855 public elementary schools	1.1%	12	8.3							8.3	10.8		10.9	15.4	20.5	11.2		$20,675	$1,517	$19,158
Mary E. Rodman Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3510 W Mulberry Street	Baltimore	21229	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0508	392	24	16.3	88.0%	2 (0.5%)	374 (95.4%)	11 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	9.4	827^th of 859 public elementary schools	3.7%		8.5	824^th of 855 public elementary schools	3.6%	3	8.3	12.5					8.5	13.7	13.8	18.8				15.3		$22,666	$1,448	$21,218
New Song Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	1530 Presstman Street	Baltimore	21217	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(410) 728-2091	175	12	14.5	84.6%	0 (0.0%)	175 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22.9	609^th of 859 public elementary schools	29.1%		16.8	701^st of 855 public elementary schools	18.0%	92		5.9		18.8	5.9	6.7	5.8	10.5	11.8		50.0	29.4	60.0	26.0		$25,700	$2,577	$23,123
Frederick Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	2501 Frederick Avenue	Baltimore	21223	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-0830	393	23	17.0	90.1%	20 (5.1%)	324 (82.4%)	28 (7.1%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.3%)	7.4	843^rd of 859 public elementary schools	1.9%					(n/a)			7.5					8.8		12.5				8.1		$25,211	$1,551	$23,660

Frequently Asked Questions about Empowerment Academy

What is the racial makeup of Empowerment Academy?

Students at Empowerment Academy are 98% African American.

How many students attend Empowerment Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 305 students attended Empowerment Academy.

What district is Empowerment Academy in?

Baltimore City Public Schools

Is Empowerment Academy a good school?

Empowerment Academy ranks 550^th 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.