Ilchester Elementary

Summary:

Ilchester Elementary is a highly-rated public elementary school in Ellicott City, Maryland, serving 537 students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. As part of the Howard County Public Schools district, which is ranked 2nd out of 25 districts in Maryland, Ilchester consistently outperforms its peers across the state.

Ilchester Elementary is a standout institution, with students performing exceptionally well on state assessments. In the 2023-2024 school year, 66.5% of Ilchester students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 41.1% in the Howard County district and 24.1% statewide. In English Language Arts, 68.5% of Ilchester students were proficient or better, compared to 63% in the district and 48.4% statewide. The school's diverse student population, with 46% White, 27.93% Asian, 11.36% African American, and 6.7% Hispanic students, is notable compared to nearby schools like Ducketts Lane Elementary and Phelps Luck Elementary, which have higher concentrations of specific racial groups.

Ilchester Elementary's academic performance is significantly higher than many of the nearby schools, such as Elkridge Elementary and Phelps Luck Elementary, which have lower proficiency rates across multiple subject areas and grade levels. The school's relatively low percentage of economically disadvantaged students, ranging from 8.09% to 12.66% in recent years, is also noteworthy compared to the higher rates at nearby schools.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

4981 Ilchester Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21043

(410) 313-2524

District: Howard County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
79^th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,653

Students who attend Ilchester Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Bonnie Branch Middle
High:	Howard High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 537

Racial breakdown:

White:

46.0%

Asian:

27.9%

African American:

11.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 12.7%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Ilchester Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ilchester Elementary ranks better than 90.8% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 15^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 90.09. (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 (46%), Asian (27.9%), African American (11.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 12.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ilchester Elementary is 12.5, which is the 12^th best among 42 elementary schools in the Howard County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Ilchester Elementary employs 42.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ilchester Elementary is $19,653, which is the 9^th highest among 42 elementary schools in the Howard County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Ilchester 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 Ilchester Elementary.

What do you think?

Your rating for Ilchester Elementary?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Ilchester Elementary

Compare

Rank History for all students at Ilchester Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	4.67	763^rd	803	5.0%
2005	2.99	778^th	805	3.4%
2006	7.27	754^th	804	6.2%
2007	6.67	768^th	818	6.1%
2008	86.63	33^rd	838	96.1%
2009	85.98	45^th	850	94.7%
2010	87.03	26^th	855	97.0%
2011	86.69	29^th	853	96.6%
2012	79.51	125^th	857	85.4%
2013	83.63	70^th	847	91.7%
2014	85.15	73^rd	867	91.6%
2015	92.18	61^st	859	92.9%
2016	93.58	42^nd	845	95.0%
2017	96.04	21^st	847	97.5%
2018	96.04	30^th	857	96.5%
2019	95.36	34^th	853	96.0%
2021	94.81	39^th	802	95.1%
2022	94.81	43^rd	862	95.0%
2023	93.22	55^th	855	93.6%
2024	90.09	79^th	859	90.8%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Ilchester Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	98.65	8^th	796	99.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Ilchester Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	83.69	91^st	788	88.5%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Ilchester Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	60.61	56^th	128	56.3%

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

Rank History for African American students at Ilchester Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	74.57	52^nd	504	89.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Ilchester Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	83.51	60^th	528	88.6%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, May 7, 2019

This is an awesome school. We considered a few other schools in Howard County before deciding on Ilchester. I am very glad we did. The teaching and supporting staff do an amazing job making each day for the students fun and educational. I can say at least the teachers we have had all genuinely care about each student. The school culture is great. I have not heard about any instance of bullying. The new principal is excellent and very involved in student activities and communicates well with parents. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Ilchester Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1997	558	37	35	6	1	n/a	n/a	637
1998	601	41	31	5	2	n/a	n/a	680
1999	667	41	34	6	3	n/a	n/a	751
2000	708	48	37	8	2	n/a	n/a	803
2001	713	57	46	5	4	n/a	n/a	825
2002	734	77	56	7	3	n/a	n/a	877
2003	734	77	56	7	3	n/a	n/a	877
2004	512	63	50	3	1	n/a	n/a	629
2005	474	66	47	5	1	n/a	n/a	593
2006	467	65	60	7	1	n/a	n/a	600
2007	447	70	64	9	1	n/a	n/a	591
2008	411	85	76	9	0	n/a	n/a	581
2009	406	88	89	13	0	n/a	n/a	596
2010	405	105	124	16	0	n/a	n/a	650
2011	393	93	118	26	0	2	36	668
2012	402	89	107	27	0	1	39	665
2013	414	81	125	28	0	2	35	685
2014	459	87	157	25	2	1	45	776
2015	441	84	174	18	2	0	35	754
2016	415	76	163	18	3	0	38	713
2017	395	60	174	19	4	0	38	690
2018	367	54	178	13	3	0	39	654
2019	367	49	174	18	2	0	38	648
2020	350	52	167	24	2	1	38	634
2021	260	65	155	34	2	1	39	556
2022	255	57	156	33	2	1	40	544
2023	247	61	150	36	2	1	40	537

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 Ilchester Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	637	37.5	17.0	0.6
1998	680	38.0	17.9	1.3
1999	751	38.0	19.8	0.7
2000	803	46.0	17.5	1.2
2001	825	54.0	15.3	1
2002	877	52.0	16.9	1.5
2003	877	52.0	16.9	1.5
2004	629	46.0	13.7	0.8
2005	593	42.0	14.1	1
2006	600	40.0	15.0	1.2
2007	591	39.0	15.2	1.4
2008	581	42.5	13.7	2.1
2009	596	42.5	14.0	1.8
2010	650	46.5	13.9	2.2
2011	668	47.8	13.9	3.3
2012	665	45.8	14.5	4.7
2013	685	47.0	14.5	5.1
2014	776	49.0	15.8	4.1
2015	754	53.0	14.2	2.5
2016	713	52.0	13.7	2.8
2017	690	49.0	14.0	4.3
2018	654	47.0	13.9	3.8
2019	648	48.8	13.2	2.8
2020	634	44.0	14.4	5
2021	556	42.4	13.1	8.1
2022	544	41.7	13.0	8.1
2023	537	42.9	12.5	12.7

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 Ilchester Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	637	37.5	17.0	0.6
1998	680	38.0	17.9	1.3
1999	751	38.0	19.8	0.7
2000	803	46.0	17.5	1.2
2001	825	54.0	15.3	1
2002	877	52.0	16.9	1.5
2003	877	52.0	16.9	1.5
2004	629	46.0	13.7	0.8
2005	593	42.0	14.1	1
2006	600	40.0	15.0	1.2
2007	591	39.0	15.2	1.4
2008	581	42.5	13.7	2.1
2009	596	42.5	14.0	1.8
2010	650	46.5	13.9	2.2
2011	668	47.8	13.9	3.3
2012	665	45.8	14.5	4.7
2013	685	47.0	14.5	5.1
2014	776	49.0	15.8	4.1
2015	754	53.0	14.2	2.5
2016	713	52.0	13.7	2.8
2017	690	49.0	14.0	4.3
2018	654	47.0	13.9	3.8
2019	648	48.8	13.2	2.8
2020	634	44.0	14.4	5
2021	556	42.4	13.1	8.1
2022	544	41.7	13.0	8.1
2023	537	42.9	12.5	12.7

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 Ilchester Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$451 (3.2%)	$13,487 (96.8%)	$13,938
2020	$534 (3.6%)	$14,306 (96.4%)	$14,840
2021	$789 (4.4%)	$17,152 (95.6%)	$17,940
2022	$1,067 (5.7%)	$17,516 (94.3%)	$18,584
2023	$1,060 (5.4%)	$18,593 (94.6%)	$19,653

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ilchester 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 34^th of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 55^th of 855 Elementary schools	2.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	648	537	17.1%
African American	49	61	24.5%
American Indian	2	2
Asian	174	150	13.8%
Hispanic	18	36	100%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	367	247	32.7%
Two or More Races	38	40	5.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	2.8%	12.7%	9.9%

Schools Near Ilchester 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
Ilchester Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4981 Ilchester Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2524	537	43	12.5	12.7%	247 (46.0%)	61 (11.4%)	36 (6.7%)	150 (27.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (7.4%)	90.1	79^th of 859 public elementary schools	90.8%		93.2	55^th of 855 public elementary schools	93.6%	24	70.0	70.3	61.2	66.5	71.1	54.7	74.8	68.5	49.0	$19,653	$1,060	$18,593
Rockburn Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6145 Montgomery Rd	Elkridge	21075	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-5030	651	46	14.0	10.3%	284 (43.6%)	74 (11.4%)	41 (6.3%)	200 (30.7%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (7.5%)	92.2	59^th of 859 public elementary schools	93.1%		89.5	90^th of 855 public elementary schools	89.5%	31	78.6	62.9	57.7	66.3	79.6	73.8	68.3	73.9	46.2	$17,156	$700	$16,456
Worthington Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4570 Roundhill Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2825	436	33	13.0	11.0%	182 (41.7%)	30 (6.9%)	27 (6.2%)	160 (36.7%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.3%)	97.7	10^th of 859 public elementary schools	98.8%		98.2	8^th of 855 public elementary schools	99.1%	2	77.8	86.6	68.5	77.3	82.0	97.0	80.8	86.6	59.7	$18,945	$685	$18,260
Bellows Spring Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8125 Old Stockbridge Dr	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-5057	799	64	12.5	25.7%	152 (19.0%)	227 (28.4%)	88 (11.0%)	280 (35.0%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (5.6%)	79.1	173^rd of 859 public elementary schools	79.9%		73	219^th of 855 public elementary schools	74.4%	46	58.3	66.4	45.0	56.9	58.7	73.1	57.8	63.3	28.4	$17,088	$767	$16,321
Waterloo Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5940 Waterloo Rd	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-5014	612	48	12.6	31.7%	200 (32.7%)	182 (29.7%)	88 (14.4%)	95 (15.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	45 (7.4%)	85.4	115^th of 859 public elementary schools	86.6%		83	139^th of 855 public elementary schools	83.7%	24	65.3	59.8	44.4	57.0	79.0	72.6	66.7	73.0	33.0	$18,965	$940	$18,025
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	746	60	12.4	49.6%	170 (22.8%)	198 (26.5%)	248 (33.2%)	80 (10.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (6.7%)	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
Ducketts Lane Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6501 Ducketts Ln	Elkridge	21075	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 313-5050	617	54	11.3	62.6%	88 (14.3%)	228 (37.0%)	177 (28.7%)	80 (13.0%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (6.5%)	35.5	487^th of 859 public elementary schools	43.3%		37.8	478^th of 855 public elementary schools	44.1%	9	34.1	19.4	11.8	22.0	47.1	47.8	42.7	45.8	8.1	$20,907	$1,560	$19,346
Veterans Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4355 Montgomery Road	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-1700	870	67	12.9	28.7%	198 (22.8%)	153 (17.6%)	79 (9.1%)	372 (42.8%)	7 (0.8%)	3 (0.3%)	58 (6.7%)	83	143^rd of 859 public elementary schools	83.4%		76.8	191^st of 855 public elementary schools	77.7%	48	71.9	49.3	48.5	56.3	67.7	60.4	63.2	63.7	41.7	$16,613	$866	$15,747
Elkridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7075 Montgomery Rd	Elkridge	21075	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-5006	805	57	14.2	40.4%	240 (29.8%)	254 (31.6%)	72 (8.9%)	183 (22.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (6.6%)	55.9	331^st of 859 public elementary schools	61.5%		50	368^th of 855 public elementary schools	57.0%	37	40.9	37.8	33.1	37.3	43.9	51.7	52.2	49.4	25.0	$16,445	$784	$15,661
Westchester Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2300 Old Frederick Rd	Baltimore	21228	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-1088	659	45	14.5	29.6%	380 (57.7%)	56 (8.5%)	71 (10.8%)	108 (16.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (6.5%)	81.5	153^rd of 859 public elementary schools	82.2%		78.5	174^th of 855 public elementary schools	79.6%	21	55.7	42.5	54.6	51.1	62.3	62.5	68.9	64.5	45.9	$16,246	$1,639	$14,607

Frequently Asked Questions about Ilchester Elementary

Is Ilchester Elementary a good school?

Yes. Ilchester Elementary ranks in the top 9.2% of Maryland elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Ilchester Elementary attend?

Students who attend Ilchester Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bonnie Branch Middle
High : Howard High

What district is Ilchester Elementary in?

Howard County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Ilchester Elementary?

Students at Ilchester Elementary are 46% White, 28% Asian, 11% African American, 7% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

How many students attend Ilchester Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 537 students attended Ilchester Elementary.

Rate Ilchester Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MDMaryland Elementary School Rankings

MDMaryland District Rankings

Schools in Ellicott City, MD

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Ilchester Elementary!

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.