Is Running Brook Elementary a good school?

Running Brook Elementary ranks 489 th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Running Brook Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 389 students attended Running Brook Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Running Brook Elementary?

Students at Running Brook Elementary are 48% African American, 20% White, 13% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 8% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

What schools do graduates of Running Brook Elementary attend?

Students who attend Running Brook Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Wilde Lake Middle High : Wilde Lake High

Running Brook Elementary

Summary:

Running Brook Elementary is a public elementary school in Columbia, Maryland, serving students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Howard County Public Schools district, which is ranked 2nd out of 25 districts in Maryland.

While Running Brook Elementary has a diverse student population, the school has consistently ranked in the lower half of Maryland elementary schools on academic performance. On state assessments, the school's proficiency rates in mathematics and English language arts are below the district and state averages across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 31.5% of Running Brook students were proficient or better in mathematics, compared to 41.1% in the district and 24.1% statewide. The school also struggles with 5th-grade science, with only 7.8% of students proficient or better, compared to 36.2% in the district and 23.9% statewide. Additionally, Running Brook has a relatively high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 50.88% receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Clemens Crossing Elementary, Stevens Forest Elementary, and Northfield Elementary, generally outperform Running Brook Elementary on academic measures, with higher proficiency rates in mathematics and English language arts. These schools also have lower percentages of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, suggesting that the student population at Running Brook may face greater challenges. However, Running Brook's lower student-teacher ratio of 8.6 could be an advantage, potentially allowing for more individualized attention and support for students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

5215 W Running Brook Rd
Columbia, MD 21044-1741

(410) 313-6893

District: Howard County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
489^th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $24,033

Students who attend Running Brook Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Wilde Lake Middle
High:	Wilde Lake High

Student/teacher ratio: 8.9

Number of students: 389

Racial breakdown:

African American:

48.3%

White:

19.5%

Hispanic:

13.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.4%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Running Brook Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Running Brook Elementary ranks worse than 56.9% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 39^th among 42 ranked elementary schools in the Howard County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.31. (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 Student population at Running Brook Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (48.3%), White (19.5%), Hispanic (13.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Running Brook Elementary is 8.9, which is the lowest among 42 elementary schools in the Howard County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Running Brook Elementary employs 43.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Running Brook Elementary is $24,033, which is the 2^nd highest among 42 elementary schools in the Howard County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Howard County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Howard County Public Schools 2^nd of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Running Brook Elementary.

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Your rating for Running Brook Elementary?

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Rank History for Running Brook Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Running Brook Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	33.88	589^th	803	26.7%
2005	45.57	481^st	805	40.2%
2006	53.76	411^th	804	48.9%
2007	45.23	498^th	818	39.1%
2008	49.09	497^th	838	40.7%
2009	37.45	603^rd	850	29.1%
2010	29.38	679^th	855	20.6%
2011	60.95	366^th	853	57.1%
2012	54.38	453^rd	857	47.1%
2013	64.28	320^th	847	62.2%
2014	56.88	440^th	867	49.3%
2015	45.52	428^th	859	50.2%
2016	37.30	506^th	845	40.1%
2017	38.85	479^th	847	43.4%
2018	33.20	531^st	857	38.0%
2019	41.43	459^th	853	46.2%
2021	38.47	382^nd	802	52.4%
2022	33.02	543^rd	862	37.0%
2023	33.16	524^th	855	38.7%
2024	35.31	489^th	859	43.1%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Running Brook Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	50.58	196^th	546	64.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Running Brook Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	37.68	397^th	796	50.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Running Brook Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	42.42	345^th	788	56.2%

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

Rank History for African American students at Running Brook Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	39.63	288^th	504	42.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Running Brook Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	57.77	192^nd	528	63.6%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.7)

33%

Reviews:

by a parent
Sunday, December 15, 2013

This is an excellent school as my daughter is in 2nd grade and I see the progress and all other activities year by year. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Running Brook Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	220	106	34	5	1	n/a	n/a	1	367
1990	221	95	29	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	355
1991	221	94	29	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	356
1992	213	110	22	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	357
1993	183	91	23	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	308
1994	159	95	24	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	288
1995	132	117	14	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	282
1996	132	117	14	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	282
1997	129	157	13	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	321
1998	106	185	15	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	342
1999	74	186	14	46	0	n/a	n/a	0	320
2000	82	156	20	54	0	n/a	n/a	0	312
2001	82	150	22	49	0	n/a	n/a	0	303
2002	92	136	19	52	0	n/a	n/a	0	299
2003	92	136	19	52	0	n/a	n/a	0	299
2004	121	121	14	53	0	n/a	n/a	0	309
2005	139	129	25	48	0	n/a	n/a	0	341
2006	137	138	27	43	0	n/a	n/a	0	345
2007	110	162	27	40	0	n/a	n/a	0	339
2008	126	196	31	39	2	n/a	n/a	0	394
2009	115	217	23	45	1	n/a	n/a	0	401
2010	123	229	34	46	2	n/a	n/a	0	434
2011	75	202	32	63	1	0	45	0	418
2012	83	209	32	63	0	0	48	0	435
2013	92	239	44	65	2	0	41	0	483
2014	96	243	40	72	1	1	39	0	492
2015	109	268	33	73	1	4	41	0	529
2016	102	261	31	68	0	4	44	0	510
2017	104	264	28	72	2	3	42	0	515
2018	88	289	26	58	1	2	33	0	497
2019	90	285	24	63	1	0	37	0	500
2020	102	256	27	52	0	1	46	0	484
2021	66	215	33	50	1	1	36	0	402
2022	65	224	29	55	1	2	39	0	415
2023	80	202	22	49	1	4	41	0	399
2024	76	188	32	52	0	4	37	0	389

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 Running Brook Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	367	23.5	15.6	n/a
1990	355	23.5	15.1	10.1
1991	356	25.5	13.9	7
1992	357	25.5	14.0	17.4
1993	308	25.5	12.1	20.1
1994	288	24.0	12.0	20.5
1995	282	24.5	11.5	30.1
1996	282	24.5	11.5	30.1
1997	321	29.0	11.1	36.4
1998	342	31.5	10.9	41.5
1999	320	31.5	10.2	58.1
2000	312	33.5	9.3	51.9
2001	303	34.0	8.9	47.5
2002	299	35.5	8.4	51.8
2003	299	35.5	8.4	51.8
2004	309	35.5	8.7	36.6
2005	341	34.0	10.0	34
2006	345	35.0	9.9	32.2
2007	339	36.0	9.4	29.8
2008	394	41.5	9.5	31
2009	401	42.0	9.5	39.2
2010	434	38.5	11.2	36.2
2011	418	42.0	9.9	42.3
2012	435	38.5	11.2	42.5
2013	483	39.0	12.3	43.3
2014	492	41.0	12.0	49
2015	529	52.0	10.1	48.4
2016	510	49.0	10.4	51.6
2017	515	51.0	10.0	41.7
2018	497	51.0	9.7	44.3
2019	500	45.0	11.1	43.2
2020	484	51.0	9.4	45.5
2021	402	46.8	8.5	46.5
2022	415	46.6	8.9	47.2
2023	399	46.0	8.6	50.9
2024	389	43.3	8.9	50.4

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 Running Brook Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	367	23.5	15.6	n/a
1990	355	23.5	15.1	10.1
1991	356	25.5	13.9	7
1992	357	25.5	14.0	17.4
1993	308	25.5	12.1	20.1
1994	288	24.0	12.0	20.5
1995	282	24.5	11.5	30.1
1996	282	24.5	11.5	30.1
1997	321	29.0	11.1	36.4
1998	342	31.5	10.9	41.5
1999	320	31.5	10.2	58.1
2000	312	33.5	9.3	51.9
2001	303	34.0	8.9	47.5
2002	299	35.5	8.4	51.8
2003	299	35.5	8.4	51.8
2004	309	35.5	8.7	36.6
2005	341	34.0	10.0	34
2006	345	35.0	9.9	32.2
2007	339	36.0	9.4	29.8
2008	394	41.5	9.5	31
2009	401	42.0	9.5	39.2
2010	434	38.5	11.2	36.2
2011	418	42.0	9.9	42.3
2012	435	38.5	11.2	42.5
2013	483	39.0	12.3	43.3
2014	492	41.0	12.0	49
2015	529	52.0	10.1	48.4
2016	510	49.0	10.4	51.6
2017	515	51.0	10.0	41.7
2018	497	51.0	9.7	44.3
2019	500	45.0	11.1	43.2
2020	484	51.0	9.4	45.5
2021	402	46.8	8.5	46.5
2022	415	46.6	8.9	47.2
2023	399	46.0	8.6	50.9
2024	389	43.3	8.9	50.4

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 Running Brook Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,226 (6.9%)	$16,593 (93.1%)	$17,819
2020	$1,204 (5.6%)	$20,155 (94.4%)	$21,359
2021	$1,425 (5.4%)	$24,811 (94.6%)	$26,236
2022	$1,726 (7.1%)	$22,699 (92.9%)	$24,426
2023	$1,790 (7.4%)	$22,243 (92.6%)	$24,033

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Running Brook 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 459^th of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 524^th of 855 Elementary schools	7.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	500	399	20.2%
African American	285	202	29.1%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	24	22	8.3%
Hispanic	63	49	22.2%
Pacific Islander	0	4
White	90	80	11.1%
Two or More Races	37	41	10.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	43.2%	50.9%	7.7%

Schools Near Running Brook 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
Running Brook Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5215 W Running Brook Rd	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 313-6893	389	43	8.9	50.4%	76 (19.5%)	188 (48.3%)	52 (13.4%)	32 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	37 (9.5%)	35.3	489^th of 859 public elementary schools	43.1%		33.2	524^th of 855 public elementary schools	38.7%	35	37.7	41.9	18.8	31.5	38.3	55.8	14.8	34.1	7.8	$24,033	$1,790	$22,243
Bryant Woods Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5450 Blue Heron Ln	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 313-6859	359	38	9.5	48.2%	77 (21.4%)	178 (49.6%)	47 (13.1%)	21 (5.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (9.7%)	44.3	426^th of 859 public elementary schools	50.4%		46.2	395^th of 855 public elementary schools	53.8%	31	47.6	25.5	15.3	30.1	39.7	54.9	41.4	44.8	20.3	$23,591	$1,810	$21,781
Thunder Hill Elementary	Public	K-5	9357 Mellenbrook Rd	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6922	454	37	12.2	34.1%	102 (22.5%)	151 (33.3%)	84 (18.5%)	75 (16.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	40 (8.8%)	58.2	317^th of 859 public elementary schools	63.1%		58.7	308^th of 855 public elementary schools	64.0%	9	40.8	41.7	32.9	38.6	46.1	54.2	50.6	50.4	26.3	$19,466	$985	$18,481
Longfellow Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5470 Hesperus Dr	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 313-6879	423	38	11.1	44.2%	95 (22.5%)	141 (33.3%)	111 (26.2%)	28 (6.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (11.1%)	51.9	363^rd of 859 public elementary schools	57.7%		40.4	456^th of 855 public elementary schools	46.7%	93	43.1	28.2	42.3	37.9	54.3	42.3	40.0	45.5	21.4	$19,579	$1,585	$17,994
Talbott Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9550 Basket Ring Rd	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 313-6915	488	48	10.2	48.4%	97 (19.9%)	154 (31.6%)	162 (33.2%)	25 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	48 (9.8%)	51.6	364^th of 859 public elementary schools	57.6%		48.1	378^th of 855 public elementary schools	55.8%	14	50.0	21.4	35.9	35.6	58.8	34.8	44.7	46.0	24.4	$20,156	$1,536	$18,620
Stevens Forest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6045 Stevens Forest Rd	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 313-6900	328	31	10.6	58.2%	58 (17.7%)	130 (39.6%)	83 (25.3%)	22 (6.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (10.4%)	67.3	257^th of 859 public elementary schools	70.1%		69	242^nd of 855 public elementary schools	71.7%	15	50.0	41.7	40.0	43.8	57.4	61.7	55.9	58.1	24.6	$26,690	$2,212	$24,478
Swansfield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5610 Cedar Ln	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 313-6907	602	53	11.3	39.5%	165 (27.4%)	252 (41.9%)	67 (11.1%)	60 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	56 (9.3%)	53	353^rd of 859 public elementary schools	58.9%		51	364^th of 855 public elementary schools	57.4%	11	50.5	34.9	31.6	39.0	48.4	45.8	50.0	48.1	16.1	$17,965	$1,396	$16,568
Phelps Luck Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5370 Oldstone Ct	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 313-6886	704	62	11.4	46.7%	182 (25.9%)	179 (25.4%)	228 (32.4%)	62 (8.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (7.4%)	48.4	390^th of 859 public elementary schools	54.6%		40.3	457^th of 855 public elementary schools	46.5%	67	51.5	25.2	31.6	35.5	49.5	43.4	34.8	41.7	24.6	$17,948	$1,331	$16,617
Jeffers Hill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6001 Tamar Dr	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6872	397	36	11.1	40.8%	79 (19.9%)	152 (38.3%)	89 (22.4%)	43 (10.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (8.1%)	53.5	343^rd of 859 public elementary schools	60.1%		45.1	407^th of 855 public elementary schools	52.4%	64	31.9	35.4	30.5	32.6	43.3	61.5	52.5	52.4	23.3	$19,277	$666	$18,611
Northfield Elementary	Public	K-5	9125 Northfield Rd	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2806	749	49	15.4	15.2%	329 (43.9%)	63 (8.4%)	61 (8.1%)	225 (30.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (9.2%)	93.9	48^th of 859 public elementary schools	94.4%		93.6	52^nd of 855 public elementary schools	93.9%	4	74.2	65.9	63.7	68.0	75.2	72.0	77.4	74.9	54.8	$15,784	$650	$15,134

Running Brook Elementary

Howard County Public Schools:

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Rank History for Running Brook Elementary

Rank History for all students at Running Brook Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Running Brook Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Running Brook Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Running Brook Elementary

Rank History for African American students at Running Brook Elementary

Rank History for White students at Running Brook Elementary

Review counts

Enrollment information for Running Brook Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Running Brook Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Running Brook Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Running Brook Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Running Brook Elementary

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Running Brook Elementary