Sparks Elementary

Sparks Elementary is one of the middle-of-the-pack K-5 schools in Sparks, Maryland, run under Baltimore County Public Schools, with 509 students on its rolls from grades K through 5.

Baltimore County Public Schools runs 177 schools in total, collectively educating 110,872 students. Sparks Elementary is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, Sparks Elementary records that 79% of the student body identifies as White. Other groups include 9% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 3% Black, 3% multiracial. By comparison, Baltimore County as a whole is about 53% White, so the school skews noticeably more White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 33 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 15.6:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.8:1, putting Sparks Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 10% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Baltimore County (around 53%), the school's rate is somewhat below typical.

With demographic context factored in, Sparks Elementary sits in the top 10% of Maryland schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 68.0%; actual is 81.8%, +13.8 points clear of the demographic baseline.

Around the school, Baltimore County reports that median household earnings sit near $91,768, roughly 42% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Baltimore County's 180 public schools (combined enrollment of about 110,872 students), Sparks Elementary is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Hereford Middle, roughly 2.2 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Sparks Elementary. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Sparks Elementary at 1st of 9; the average score across the group is 49.8%.

Geographically, the school is in an outlying area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count changed only slightly: 516 students in 2018 compared to 509 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 85% to 79% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 16.9:1 in 2018 to 15.6:1 today.

Within the allk12 community for this school, members of the Sparks Elementary community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.