For the 2024-25 school year, there are 32 public preschools serving 19,427 students in Howard County, MD. The top ranked public preschools in Howard County, MD are Worthington Elementary School, Waverly Elementary School and Fulton Elementary School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Howard County, MD public preschools have an average math proficiency score of 43% (versus the Maryland public pre school average of 25%), and reading proficiency score of 53% (versus the 40% statewide average). Pre schools in Howard County have an average ranking of 9/10, which is in the top 20% of Maryland public pre schools.
Minority enrollment is 72% of the student body (majority Black and Asian), which is more than the Maryland public preschool average of 70% (majority Black).
Best Public Preschools in Howard County (2024-25)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Worthington Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
4570 Roundhill Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-2825
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-2825
Grades: PK-5
| 436 students
Rank: #22.
Waverly Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 70% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
10220 Wetherburn Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2819
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2819
Grades: PK-5
| 867 students
Rank: #33.
Fulton Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 66% | Reading: 76%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
11600 Scaggsville Rd
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 880-5957
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 880-5957
Grades: PK-5
| 879 students
Rank: #44.
Pointers Run Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 71%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
6600 South Trotter Rd
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7142
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7142
Grades: PK-5
| 812 students
Rank: #55.
Centennial Lane Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 67% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
3825 Centennial Ln
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2800
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2800
Grades: PK-5
| 698 students
Rank: #66.
Ilchester Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 66% | Reading: 73%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
4981 Ilchester Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-2524
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-2524
Grades: PK-5
| 537 students
Rank: #77.
Bushy Park Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
14601 Carrs Mill Rd
Glenwood, MD 21738
(410) 313-5500
Glenwood, MD 21738
(410) 313-5500
Grades: PK-5
| 621 students
Rank: #88.
Rockburn Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
6145 Montgomery Rd
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5030
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5030
Grades: PK-5
| 651 students
Rank: #99.
Bellows Spring Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 45% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
8125 Old Stockbridge Dr
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-5057
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-5057
Grades: PK-5
| 799 students
Rank: #1010.
Waterloo Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 68%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
5940 Waterloo Rd
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-5014
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-5014
Grades: PK-5
| 612 students
Rank: #1111.
Dayton Oaks
Magnet School
(Math: 53% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
4691 Ten Oaks Rd
Dayton, MD 21036
(410) 313-1571
Dayton, MD 21036
(410) 313-1571
Grades: PK-5
| 783 students
Rank: #1212.
Gorman Crossing Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 45% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
9999 Winter Sun Rd
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5900
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5900
Grades: PK-5
| 743 students
Rank: #1313.
Atholton Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
6700 Seneca Dr
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 313-6853
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 313-6853
Grades: PK-5
| 489 students
Rank: #1414.
Veterans Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 49% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
4355 Montgomery Road
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-1700
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-1700
Grades: PK-5
| 870 students
Rank: #1515.
Stevens Forest Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
6045 Stevens Forest Rd
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6900
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6900
Grades: PK-5
| 308 students
Rank: #1616.
Jessup Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
2798 Champion Forest Avenue
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 799-1200
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 799-1200
Grades: PK-5
| 597 students
Rank: #1717.
Forest Ridge Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
9550 Gorman Rd
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5950
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5950
Grades: PK-5
| 648 students
Rank: #1818.
Jeffers Hill Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
6001 Tamar Dr
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6872
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6872
Grades: PK-5
| 408 students
Rank: #1919.
Elkridge Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
7075 Montgomery Rd
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5006
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5006
Grades: PK-5
| 805 students
Rank: #2020.
Phelps Luck Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
5370 Oldstone Ct
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6886
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6886
Grades: PK-5
| 746 students
Rank: #2121.
Longfellow Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
5470 Hesperus Dr
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6879
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6879
Grades: PK-5
| 478 students
Rank: #2222.
Bryant Woods Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
5450 Blue Heron Ln
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6859
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6859
Grades: PK-5
| 361 students
Rank: #2323.
Talbott Springs Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 27% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
9550 Basket Ring Rd
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6915
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6915
Grades: PK-5
| 483 students
Rank: #2424.
Deep Run Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 27% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
6925 Old Waterloo Rd
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5000
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5000
Grades: PK-5
| 723 students
Rank: #2525.
Swansfield Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 27% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
5610 Cedar Ln
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6907
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6907
Grades: PK-5
| 592 students
Rank: #2626.
Guilford Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 26% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
7335 Oakland Mills Rd
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 880-5930
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 880-5930
Grades: PK-5
| 478 students
Rank: #27 - 2827. - 28.
Bollman Bridge Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 23% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
8200 Savage-guilford Road
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 880-5920
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 880-5920
Grades: PK-5
| 742 students
Rank: #27 - 2827. - 28.
Cradlerock Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 23% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
6700 Cradlerock Way
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 319-7601
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 319-7601
Grades: PK-5
| 459 students
Rank: #2929.
Laurel Woods Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 23% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
9250 N Laurel Rd
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5960
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5960
Grades: PK-5
| 662 students
Rank: #3030.
Running Brook Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
5215 W Running Brook Rd
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6893
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6893
Grades: PK-5
| 399 students
Rank: #3131.
Ducketts Lane
Magnet School
(Math: 17% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
6501 Ducketts Ln
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5050
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5050
Grades: PK-5
| 617 students
Rank: #3232.
Cedar Lane Special Center
Special Education School
Magnet School
Magnet School
(Math: 11-19% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
11630 Scaggsville Rd
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8800
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8800
Grades: PK-12
| 124 students
Howard County Public Schools (Closed)
School
Location
Grades
Students
10960 Grantchester Way
Columbia, MD 21044
(800) 382-6010
Columbia, MD 21044
(800) 382-6010
Grades: K-12
| n/a students
6700 Cradlerock Way
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-7601
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-7601
Grades: PK-8
| 932 students
6700 Cradlewrock Way
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-7607
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-7607
Grades: 6-8
| 543 students
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ranked public preschools in Howard County, MD?
The top ranked public preschools in Howard County, MD include Worthington Elementary School, Waverly Elementary School and Fulton Elementary School. Howard County has one of the highest concentrations of top ranked public schools in Maryland.
How many public preschools are located in Howard County?
32 public preschools are located in Howard County.
What is the racial composition of students in Howard County?
Howard County public preschools minority enrollment is 72% of the student body (majority Black and Asian), which is more than the Maryland public preschools average of 70% (majority Black).
Which public preschools in Howard County are often viewed compared to one another?
Popular comparisons of public preschools in Howard County include: Talbott Springs Elementary School vs. Stevens Forest Elementary School, Jessup Elementary School vs. Bollman Bridge Elementary School, Stevens Forest Elementary School vs. Talbott Springs Elementary School
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