Wilde Lake Middle

Summary:

Wilde Lake Middle is a public middle school in Columbia, Maryland, serving 611 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Howard County Public Schools district, which is ranked 2nd out of 25 districts in Maryland and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Wilde Lake Middle stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (43.04%) and Hispanic (11.29%) students compared to nearby schools. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by MCAP test scores, is generally lower than the district and state averages, particularly in mathematics. While Hispanic and White students perform relatively well, the school's performance for African American, Asian, and Special Education students is much lower, ranking in the bottom half or bottom quarter of Maryland middle schools. Wilde Lake Middle also has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (39.61%) compared to nearby schools, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families.

Interestingly, Wilde Lake Middle's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 86th out of 303 Maryland middle schools in 2020-2021 to 111th out of 328 in 2023-2024, despite maintaining a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. This suggests that the school may benefit from learning from the practices and strategies of higher-performing nearby schools, such as Hammond Middle, Lime Kiln Middle, and Burleigh Manor Middle, which have higher MCAP test scores and statewide rankings.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 10481 Cross Fox Ln
       Columbia, MD  21044-2141


(410) 313-6957

District: Howard County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
111th of 328 Maryland Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $20,245 Help


Feeder schools for Wilde Lake Middle:

Elementary:    Bryant Woods Elementary
    Clemens Crossing Elementary
    Running Brook Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  12.0 Help
Number of students:  611

Racial breakdown:

African American:
43.0%
White:
29.1%
Hispanic:
11.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  39.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Wilde Lake Middle ranks better than 66.2% of middle schools in Maryland. It also ranks 13th among 20 ranked middle schools in the Howard County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.05. (See more...)
Help
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: African American (43%), White (29.1%), Hispanic (11.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 39.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wilde Lake Middle is 12, which is the 4th best among 20 middle schools in the Howard County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Wilde Lake Middle employs 50.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wilde Lake Middle is $20,245, which is the 4th highest among 20 middle schools in the Howard County Public Schools District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Wilde Lake Middle was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Wilde Lake Middle 111th of 328 Maryland public middle schools. (See Wilde Lake Middle in the ranking list.)

Howard County Public Schools:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Wilde Lake Middle.

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Rank History for Wilde Lake Middle

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Rank History for all students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 32.91 173rd 252 31.3%
2005 42.35 154th 255 39.6%
2006 44.02 146th 254 42.5%
2007 41.29 155th 264 41.3%
2008 58.97 139th 283 50.9%
2009 60.54 146th 301 51.5%
2010 53.37 179th 324 44.8%
2011 61.75 136th 309 56.0%
2012 56.27 153rd 314 51.3%
2013 47.33 173rd 316 45.3%
2014 60.46 150th 339 55.8%
2015 52.13 130th 315 58.7%
2016 45.40 163rd 314 48.1%
2017 49.34 157th 317 50.5%
2018 51.35 151st 328 54.0%
2019 47.86 149th 316 52.8%
2021 64.01 86th 303 71.6%
2022 65.84 105th 333 68.5%
2023 54.79 119th 322 63.0%
2024 56.05 111th 328 66.2%
See the entire list of Maryland Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 68.04 35th 136 74.3%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 36.82 81st 120 32.5%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 25.79 233rd 273 14.7%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 66.12 78th 303 74.3%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 57.36 101st 288 64.9%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 28.59 93rd 116 19.8%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.57 129th 259 50.2%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 63.18 56th 207 72.9%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Wilde Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 70.23 60th 210 71.4%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle 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.

Wilde Lake Middle Test Scores
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Grades: 
  
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Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Open Quote I am appalled at this school. It is very shameful how they run that school... your child could be seriously hurt in this school and no one will be able to tell you factually what happened. The teachers appear to be just as educated as the children. The principal should have stayed a teacher himself. The school psychologist is just something to shake your head at. It is a shame and black children just don't have a chance in this school and if anyone does not start understanding this point it is only going to affect our children. My son has an active IEP on file but goals are centered around things that does not apply to him. The IEP is centered around guidelines statewide making it not Individualized as it should be. I have tried unsuccessfully to get this school to look at the IEP and make the necessary adjustments. They have feelings that are supposed to be respected but your concerns for your child is disregarded as unnecessary. All the while they are passing your child through school with no understanding of what is going on around them. Setting them up for failure in their future. It is very sad how this school is ran. Christopher Rattay should be asked to resign and allow someone to enter the school who can relate to the community in which they are servicing. All we as outside races see is this man who does not understand anything that we are saying about our child because he does not have the same issues for his child. Close Quote


by a parent
Friday, February 5, 2016

Open Quote Most of the staff is disrespectful to the students,and they can't handle disputes between
Students well. My child was having a problem with another student and They sent my child
Home before dismissal. Anything could've happened to him, he usually walks home with a
Group of other students to make it a little safer for him. They didn't even try to contact me to tell me this had happened, they just him home. That day I called the school for an explanation as to why they thought that was the right thing to do and they
Told me it was for the safety for the other student. So that child's safety is more important than my own? Wow, ok. I wouldn't recommend this school to anyone. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Open Quote Howard County schools are known to be some of the best in the U.S., but not all school are of equal quality. In fact, there is a huge difference among schools, so beware if you are deciding where to live. At Wilde Lake Middle, you will find excellent students, but at least half of the population are thugs, a truly rough crowd. Bullying and other violence is a huge problem at this school. The principal uses a "hands off" approach, and neither the staff/teachers nor the students seem to like her. There is also a wide range in terms of teacher quality--from awful to excellent. I would put all of the math teachers in the "awful" category, but the English teachers could mostly be put in the "excellent" group. My son's math scores went down after one year at this school, so we are moving to a different district. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Wilde Lake Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 333 186 25 2 1 n/a n/a 3 550
1990 335 193 25 6 0 n/a n/a 0 559
1991 312 177 31 8 0 n/a n/a 0 528
1992 358 135 41 10 1 n/a n/a 0 545
1993 358 142 34 8 0 n/a n/a 0 542
1994 352 144 40 11 0 n/a n/a 0 547
1995 310 140 45 15 1 n/a n/a 0 511
1996 310 140 45 15 1 n/a n/a 0 511
1997 287 148 38 16 1 n/a n/a 0 490
1998 256 165 38 10 3 n/a n/a 0 472
1999 228 179 34 9 2 n/a n/a 0 452
2000 211 196 38 10 2 n/a n/a 0 457
2001 250 217 36 21 1 n/a n/a 0 525
2002 271 236 35 30 5 n/a n/a 0 577
2003 271 236 35 30 5 n/a n/a 0 577
2004 275 261 38 31 4 n/a n/a 0 609
2005 244 259 37 42 4 n/a n/a 0 586
2006 225 226 38 31 3 n/a n/a 0 523
2007 214 213 40 26 5 n/a n/a 0 498
2008 201 197 37 28 3 n/a n/a 0 466
2009 196 212 30 29 3 n/a n/a 0 470
2010 170 243 37 23 1 n/a n/a 0 474
2011 147 236 40 51 5 1 26 0 506
2012 162 217 36 62 3 1 34 0 515
2013 164 242 31 65 1 1 40 0 544
2014 162 236 28 71 1 1 44 0 543
2015 136 248 31 62 0 1 43 0 521
2016 139 270 37 70 0 0 44 0 560
2017 136 267 42 64 3 1 41 0 554
2018 149 310 38 66 4 1 42 0 610
2019 155 296 48 70 5 2 52 0 628
2020 164 317 51 91 2 0 62 0 687
2021 154 301 43 81 0 0 62 0 641
2022 173 274 45 77 0 2 54 1 626
2023 178 263 43 69 0 2 55 1 611

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 Wilde Lake Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 550 36.0 15.2 n/a
1990 559 39.0 14.3 6.8
1991 528 39.5 13.3 5.3
1992 545 39.0 13.9 7.7
1993 542 35.0 15.5 7.7
1994 547 35.0 15.6 9.9
1995 511 36.0 14.2 14.7
1996 511 36.0 14.2 14.7
1997 490 35.0 14.0 17.8
1998 472 33.5 14.1 19.9
1999 452 33.5 13.5 27.2
2000 457 37.0 12.4 27.8
2001 525 39.5 13.3 25.3
2002 577 41.5 13.9 23.4
2003 577 41.5 13.9 23.4
2004 609 44.6 13.7 28.1
2005 586 46.0 12.7 30.5
2006 523 45.0 11.6 24.5
2007 498 44.0 11.3 23.1
2008 466 43.0 10.8 23.8
2009 470 42.0 11.2 26.8
2010 474 44.0 10.7 30.6
2011 506 42.0 12.0 34.2
2012 515 42.5 12.1 35.3
2013 544 42.0 12.9 34.6
2014 543 42.0 12.9 38.5
2015 521 43.0 12.1 42.4
2016 560 48.0 11.6 40.4
2017 554 48.2 11.4 38.4
2018 610 53.0 11.5 32.8
2019 628 53.0 11.8 34.1
2020 687 53.0 12.9 35.7
2021 641 51.6 12.4 37.4
2022 626 48.0 13.0 33.4
2023 611 50.6 12.0 39.6

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 Wilde Lake Middle

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 550 36.0 15.2 n/a
1990 559 39.0 14.3 6.8
1991 528 39.5 13.3 5.3
1992 545 39.0 13.9 7.7
1993 542 35.0 15.5 7.7
1994 547 35.0 15.6 9.9
1995 511 36.0 14.2 14.7
1996 511 36.0 14.2 14.7
1997 490 35.0 14.0 17.8
1998 472 33.5 14.1 19.9
1999 452 33.5 13.5 27.2
2000 457 37.0 12.4 27.8
2001 525 39.5 13.3 25.3
2002 577 41.5 13.9 23.4
2003 577 41.5 13.9 23.4
2004 609 44.6 13.7 28.1
2005 586 46.0 12.7 30.5
2006 523 45.0 11.6 24.5
2007 498 44.0 11.3 23.1
2008 466 43.0 10.8 23.8
2009 470 42.0 11.2 26.8
2010 474 44.0 10.7 30.6
2011 506 42.0 12.0 34.2
2012 515 42.5 12.1 35.3
2013 544 42.0 12.9 34.6
2014 543 42.0 12.9 38.5
2015 521 43.0 12.1 42.4
2016 560 48.0 11.6 40.4
2017 554 48.2 11.4 38.4
2018 610 53.0 11.5 32.8
2019 628 53.0 11.8 34.1
2020 687 53.0 12.9 35.7
2021 641 51.6 12.4 37.4
2022 626 48.0 13.0 33.4
2023 611 50.6 12.0 39.6

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 Wilde Lake Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $502 (3.1%) $15,486 (96.9%) $15,988
2020 $512 (3.2%) $15,565 (96.8%) $16,078
2021 $775 (4.5%) $16,473 (95.5%) $17,248
2022 $1,022 (5.6%) $17,236 (94.4%) $18,258
2023 $803 (4.0%) $19,441 (96.0%) $20,245

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Wilde Lake Middle

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 149th of 316 Middle schoolsRanks 119th of 322 Middle schools
 10.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students628611
 2.7%
African American296263
 11.1%
American Indian50
 100%
Asian4843
 10.4%
Hispanic7069
 1.4%
Pacific Islander22
White155178
 14.8%
Two or More Races5255
 5.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients34.1%39.6%
 5.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Wilde Lake Middle

Wilde Lake Middle ranks 111th of 328 Maryland middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Wilde Lake Middle are 43% African American, 29% White, 11% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 7% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 611 students attended Wilde Lake Middle.


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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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