Is Bonnie Branch Middle a good school?

Bonnie Branch Middle ranks 83 rd of 328 Maryland middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Bonnie Branch Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 710 students attended Bonnie Branch Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Bonnie Branch Middle?

Students at Bonnie Branch Middle are 35% White, 22% African American, 20% Asian, 16% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Bonnie Branch Middle attend?

Students who attend Bonnie Branch Middle usually go on to attend Howard High

Bonnie Branch Middle

Summary:

Bonnie Branch Middle is a highly-ranked public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Ellicott City, Maryland, part of the acclaimed Howard County Public Schools district. With a diverse student population, the school consistently performs among the top middle schools in the state, often exceeding the academic achievements of the district and state averages.

Bonnie Branch Middle's strong academic performance is evident across multiple metrics. The school ranks between the 30th and 83rd percentile statewide on the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) tests, with 56% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 39.6% in Mathematics, compared to 63% and 41.1% for the Howard County district, respectively. The school's end-of-course assessment results, such as in Algebra I and Geometry, are particularly impressive, with proficiency rates significantly higher than the district and state averages. However, the school's performance for some student subgroups, like Hispanic and special education students, is relatively lower compared to other subgroups.

Bonnie Branch Middle's success can be attributed to its effective resource allocation, with a relatively high per-student spending ranging from $14,044 to $15,609 and a low student-to-teacher ratio of 13.3 to 13.8. This is higher than the spending and lower student-to-teacher ratios at nearby schools like Catonsville Middle and Ellicott Mills Middle. This investment in resources likely contributes to the school's ability to provide a high-quality education and support the learning of its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public 6-8

4979 Ilchester Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21043

(410) 313-2580

District: Howard County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
83^rd of 328 Maryland Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,697

Students who attend Bonnie Branch Middle usually attend:

High:

Howard High

Feeder schools for Bonnie Branch Middle:

Elementary:	Ilchester Elementary
	Phelps Luck Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 710

Racial breakdown:

White:

34.8%

African American:

21.5%

Asian:

20.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 29%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Bonnie Branch Middle ranks better than 74.7% of middle schools in Maryland. It also ranks 11^th among 20 ranked middle schools in the Howard County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.66. (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 Bonnie Branch Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (34.8%), African American (21.5%), Asian (20.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 29% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bonnie Branch Middle is 14.3. 12 middle schools in the Howard County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Bonnie Branch Middle employs 49.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bonnie Branch Middle is $17,697, which is the 10^th highest among 20 middle schools in the Howard County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Bonnie Branch Middle was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Bonnie Branch Middle 83^rd of 328 Maryland public middle schools. (See Bonnie Branch Middle in the ranking list.)

Howard County Public Schools:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Bonnie Branch Middle

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Rank History for all students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	10.54	224^th	252	11.1%
2005	11.72	226^th	255	11.4%
2006	9.54	228^th	254	10.2%
2007	11.59	234^th	264	11.4%
2008	77.61	69^th	283	75.6%
2009	76.21	75^th	301	75.1%
2010	77.53	72^nd	324	77.8%
2011	81.19	54^th	309	82.5%
2012	80.06	62^nd	314	80.3%
2013	75.70	79^th	316	75.0%
2014	78.96	74^th	339	78.2%
2015	72.48	74^th	315	76.5%
2016	65.57	97^th	314	69.1%
2017	71.22	83^rd	317	73.8%
2018	73.88	83^rd	328	74.7%
2019	75.05	75^th	316	76.3%
2021	86.35	30^th	303	90.1%
2022	81.54	59^th	333	82.3%
2023	71.97	70^th	322	78.3%
2024	67.66	83^rd	328	74.7%

See the entire list of Maryland Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	73.98	25^th	136	81.6%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	46.49	62^nd	120	48.3%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	58.79	82^nd	273	70.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	82.58	40^th	303	86.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	86.18	25^th	288	91.3%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	51.39	57^th	116	50.9%

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

Rank History for African American students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	72.30	44^th	259	83.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	36.32	129^th	207	37.7%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	84.62	24^th	210	88.6%

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.

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Bonnie Branch Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2002	370	149	38	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	574
2003	370	149	38	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	574
2004	438	148	48	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	653
2005	454	137	54	29	0	n/a	n/a	0	674
2006	442	149	54	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	667
2007	423	165	54	34	0	n/a	n/a	0	676
2008	414	169	60	32	1	n/a	n/a	0	676
2009	417	177	65	29	1	n/a	n/a	0	689
2010	413	183	67	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	687
2011	349	147	60	36	1	2	71	0	666
2012	370	167	83	37	0	2	46	0	705
2013	347	160	91	53	0	1	51	0	703
2014	341	165	113	63	0	1	45	0	728
2015	262	164	92	84	0	0	39	0	641
2016	285	169	108	82	1	0	39	0	684
2017	286	185	99	94	2	1	46	0	713
2018	287	173	108	100	2	1	45	0	716
2019	264	198	122	114	1	1	50	0	750
2020	257	168	128	108	1	0	41	0	703
2021	236	166	142	96	0	0	53	0	693
2022	255	131	123	102	1	0	51	0	663
2023	253	144	133	97	1	0	54	0	682
2024	247	153	144	112	2	0	51	1	710

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 Bonnie Branch Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	574	36.0	15.9	11.8
2003	574	36.0	15.9	11.8
2004	653	42.0	15.5	11.3
2005	674	45.0	15.0	9.5
2006	667	48.0	13.9	8.1
2007	676	47.6	14.2	11.1
2008	676	50.0	13.5	12.3
2009	689	54.0	12.8	10
2010	687	52.0	13.2	12.5
2011	666	49.0	13.5	13.4
2012	705	50.0	14.1	16
2013	703	51.0	13.7	17.4
2014	728	53.0	13.7	17
2015	641	48.0	13.3	24.8
2016	684	49.0	13.9	24.3
2017	713	50.9	14.0	22
2018	716	53.0	13.5	21.5
2019	750	55.0	13.6	25.5
2020	703	51.0	13.7	24.3
2021	693	51.8	13.3	19.2
2022	663	48.5	13.6	18.3
2023	682	49.2	13.8	25.7
2024	710	49.5	14.3	29

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 Bonnie Branch Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	574	36.0	15.9	11.8
2003	574	36.0	15.9	11.8
2004	653	42.0	15.5	11.3
2005	674	45.0	15.0	9.5
2006	667	48.0	13.9	8.1
2007	676	47.6	14.2	11.1
2008	676	50.0	13.5	12.3
2009	689	54.0	12.8	10
2010	687	52.0	13.2	12.5
2011	666	49.0	13.5	13.4
2012	705	50.0	14.1	16
2013	703	51.0	13.7	17.4
2014	728	53.0	13.7	17
2015	641	48.0	13.3	24.8
2016	684	49.0	13.9	24.3
2017	713	50.9	14.0	22
2018	716	53.0	13.5	21.5
2019	750	55.0	13.6	25.5
2020	703	51.0	13.7	24.3
2021	693	51.8	13.3	19.2
2022	663	48.5	13.6	18.3
2023	682	49.2	13.8	25.7
2024	710	49.5	14.3	29

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 Bonnie Branch Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$436 (3.1%)	$13,607 (96.9%)	$14,044
2020	$471 (3.1%)	$14,551 (96.9%)	$15,022
2021	$787 (5.0%)	$14,822 (95.0%)	$15,609
2022	$958 (5.7%)	$15,861 (94.3%)	$16,819
2023	$790 (4.5%)	$16,907 (95.5%)	$17,697

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bonnie Branch 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 75^th of 316 Middle schools	Ranks 70^th of 322 Middle schools	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	750	682	9.1%
African American	198	144	27.3%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	122	133	9%
Hispanic	114	97	14.9%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	264	253	4.2%
Two or More Races	50	54	8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	25.5%	25.7%	0.2%

Schools Near Bonnie Branch Middle

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 Algebra I (2024)	MCAP Geometry (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 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	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 Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bonnie Branch Middle	Public	6-8	4979 Ilchester Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2580	710	50	14.3	29.0%	247 (34.8%)	153 (21.5%)	112 (15.8%)	144 (20.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (7.2%)	67.7	83^rd of 328 public middle schools	74.7%		72	70^th of 322 public middle schools	78.3%	13	39.6	14.2	13.6	39.6	55.8	57.7	54.5	56.0	80.8	60.8	33.1	$17,697	$790	$16,907
Ellicott Mills Middle	Public	6-8	4445 Montgomery Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2839	721	51	14.0	16.5%	226 (31.3%)	121 (16.8%)	45 (6.2%)	284 (39.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (6.0%)	85.3	39^th of 328 public middle schools	88.1%		87.6	29^th of 322 public middle schools	91.0%	10	46.6	23.7	10.8	47.0	67.5	71.8	66.5	68.5	60.0	75.7	47.3	$18,162	$810	$17,351
Mayfield Woods Middle	Public	6-8	7950 Redbarn Way	Elkridge	21075	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-5022	695	56	12.3	43.0%	153 (22.0%)	189 (27.2%)	203 (29.2%)	97 (14.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (7.5%)	50	134^th of 328 public middle schools	59.1%		52.2	123^rd of 322 public middle schools	61.8%	11	22.5	14.0	10.3	24.1	50.2	48.4	46.5	48.4	51.2	64.7	25.6	$18,864	$760	$18,104
Elkridge Landing Middle	Public	6-8	7085 Montgomery Rd	Elkridge	21075	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-5040	681	52	13.1	27.3%	246 (36.1%)	161 (23.6%)	77 (11.3%)	152 (22.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	43 (6.3%)	61.4	99^th of 328 public middle schools	69.8%		71	74^th of 322 public middle schools	77.0%	25	22.0	18.3	8.3	28.9	54.1	57.3	60.9	57.4	72.9	56.1	32.1	$18,772	$705	$18,066
Catonsville Middle	Public	6-8	2301 Edmondson Ave	Catonsville	21228	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-0803	793	52	15.2	34.3%	394 (49.7%)	157 (19.8%)	72 (9.1%)	131 (16.5%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	35 (4.4%)	67.8	82^nd of 328 public middle schools	75.0%		58.8	107^th of 322 public middle schools	66.8%	25	24.8			15.8	53.0	52.2	55.5	53.5	23.9	15.9	37.6	$15,544	$1,757	$13,787
Dunloggin Middle	Public	6-8	9129 Northfield Rd	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2831	638	43	14.7	26.0%	197 (30.9%)	133 (20.8%)	55 (8.6%)	212 (33.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	38 (6.0%)	80.3	50^th of 328 public middle schools	84.8%		77.8	56^th of 322 public middle schools	82.6%	6	40.1	24.8	9.8	42.8	59.8	71.9	62.5	64.8	80.4	73.1	44.8	$16,897	$759	$16,138
Arbutus Middle	Public	6-8	5525 Shelbourne Rd	Baltimore	21227	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-1402	983	60	16.5	51.9%	421 (42.8%)	183 (18.6%)	86 (8.7%)	203 (20.7%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	87 (8.9%)	49.2	136^th of 328 public middle schools	58.5%		44.8	148^th of 322 public middle schools	54.0%	12	18.3			11.1	48.7	44.3	38.6	44.0	24.0	9.5	29.4	$15,786	$1,541	$14,245
Thomas Viaduct Middle	Public	6-8	7000 Banbury Drive	Hanover	21076	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-8711	764	61	12.5	50.4%	75 (9.8%)	365 (47.8%)	150 (19.6%)	122 (16.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (6.4%)	35.2	181^st of 328 public middle schools	44.8%		44.2	151^st of 322 public middle schools	53.1%	30	14.2			15.4	34.3	36.2	42.9	37.7	33.1	64.9	20.8	$16,327	$823	$15,504
Oakland Mills Middle	Public	6-8	9540 Kilimanjaro Rd	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6937	428	39	10.9	49.8%	100 (23.4%)	136 (31.8%)	138 (32.2%)	22 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (6.8%)	37.1	175^th of 328 public middle schools	46.6%		41.3	159^th of 322 public middle schools	50.6%	16	16.4	10.7		12.4	44.1	42.1	41.2	42.4	28.8		16.2	$21,436	$883	$20,553
Lake Elkhorn Middle	Public	6-8	6680 Cradlerock Way	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7600	622	46	13.4	51.0%	89 (14.3%)	302 (48.6%)	134 (21.5%)	45 (7.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (8.0%)	31.8	197^th of 328 public middle schools	39.9%		31.8	196^th of 322 public middle schools	39.1%	1	12.1	9.2		16.1	39.3	40.8	42.5	40.9	51.2	38.5	11.9	$19,133	$872	$18,260

Bonnie Branch Middle

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Rank History for Bonnie Branch Middle

Rank History for all students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Bonnie Branch Middle

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Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Rank History for Female students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Rank History for Male students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Rank History for Asian students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Rank History for African American students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Rank History for Hispanic students at Bonnie Branch Middle

Rank History for White students at Bonnie Branch Middle

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Enrollment information for Bonnie Branch Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bonnie Branch Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Bonnie Branch Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bonnie Branch Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Bonnie Branch Middle

Rankings

Student Body

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