For the 2026 school year, there are 33 public preschools serving 19,981 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 47% (versus the Maryland public pre school average of 28%), and reading proficiency score of 53% (versus the 39% 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 71% (majority Black).
Best Public Preschools in Howard County (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Worthington Elementary School
(Math: 78% | 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
Gr: PK-5 | 403 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 62%
Rank: #22.
Waverly Elementary School
(Math: 73% | 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
Gr: PK-5 | 827 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 74%
Rank: #33.
Fulton Elementary School
(Math: 68% | Reading: 76%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
11600 Scaggsville Rd
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 880-5957
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 880-5957
Gr: PK-5 | 872 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 64%
Rank: #44.
Pointers Run Elementary School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 71%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
6600 South Trotter Rd
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7142
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7142
Gr: PK-5 | 835 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 63%
Rank: #55.
Ilchester Elementary School
(Math: 67% | 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
Gr: PK-5 | 482 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #66.
Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 71%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
13400 Triadelphia Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2560
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2560
Gr: PK-5 | 619 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 62%
Rank: #77.
Centennial Lane Elementary School
(Math: 66% | 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
Gr: PK-5 | 749 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 68%
Rank: #88.
Bushy Park Elementary School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
14601 Carrs Mill Rd
Glenwood, MD 21738
(410) 313-5500
Glenwood, MD 21738
(410) 313-5500
Gr: PK-5 | 631 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 33%
Rank: #99.
Waterloo Elementary School
(Math: 52% | Reading: 68%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
5940 Waterloo Rd
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-5014
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-5014
Gr: PK-5 | 666 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 68%
Rank: #1010.
Rockburn Elementary School
(Math: 61% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
6145 Montgomery Rd
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5030
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5030
Gr: PK-5 | 649 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 58%
Rank: #1111.
Dayton Oaks Elementary School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
4691 Ten Oaks Rd
Dayton, MD 21036
(410) 313-1571
Dayton, MD 21036
(410) 313-1571
Gr: PK-5 | 739 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: #1212.
Bellows Spring Elementary 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
Gr: PK-5 | 806 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #1313.
Atholton Elementary School
(Math: 48% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
6700 Seneca Dr
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 313-6853
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 313-6853
Gr: PK-5 | 516 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #1414.
Gorman Crossing Elementary School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
9999 Winter Sun Rd
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5900
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5900
Gr: PK-5 | 750 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #1515.
Veterans Elementary School
(Math: 53% | 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
Gr: PK-5 | 883 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 78%
Rank: #1616.
Stevens Forest Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | 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
Gr: PK-5 | 314 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #1717.
Jessup Elementary School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
2798 Champion Forest Avenue
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 799-1200
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 799-1200
Gr: PK-5 | 646 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 80%
Rank: #1818.
Jeffers Hill Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
6001 Tamar Dr
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6872
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6872
Gr: PK-5 | 406 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 79%
Rank: #1919.
Forest Ridge Elementary School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
9550 Gorman Rd
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5950
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5950
Gr: PK-5 | 659 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 87%
Rank: #2020.
Elkridge Elementary School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
7075 Montgomery Rd
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5006
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5006
Gr: PK-5 | 798 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #2121.
Phelps Luck Elementary School
(Math: 32% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
5370 Oldstone Ct
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6886
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6886
Gr: PK-5 | 681 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 72%
Rank: #2222.
Bryant Woods Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | 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
Gr: PK-5 | 366 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 79%
Rank: #2323.
Longfellow Elementary School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
5470 Hesperus Dr
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6879
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6879
Gr: PK-5 | 446 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 78%
Rank: #2424.
Talbott Springs Elementary School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
9550 Basket Ring Rd
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6915
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6915
Gr: PK-5 | 461 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: #2525.
Swansfield Elementary School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
5610 Cedar Ln
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6907
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6907
Gr: PK-5 | 594 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 72%
Rank: #2626.
Deep Run Elementary School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
6925 Old Waterloo Rd
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5000
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5000
Gr: PK-5 | 638 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 84%
Rank: #2727.
Guilford Elementary School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
7335 Oakland Mills Rd
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 880-5930
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 880-5930
Gr: PK-5 | 437 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 87%
Rank: #2828.
Bollman Bridge Elementary School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
8200 Savage-guilford Road
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 880-5920
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 880-5920
Gr: PK-5 | 775 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 78%
Rank: #2929.
Running Brook Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
5215 W Running Brook Rd
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6893
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6893
Gr: PK-5 | 407 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 83%
Rank: #3030.
Laurel Woods Elementary School
(Math: 27% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
9250 N Laurel Rd
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5960
Laurel, MD 20723
(410) 880-5960
Gr: PK-5 | 625 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 93%
Rank: #3131.
Cradlerock Elementary 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
Gr: PK-5 | 453 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #3232.
Ducketts Lane Elementary School
(Math: 22% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
6501 Ducketts Ln
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5050
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 313-5050
Gr: PK-5 | 573 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 89%
Rank: #3333.
Cedar Lane Special Center
Special Education 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
Gr: PK-12 | 133 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Minority enrollment: 86%
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?
33 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 71% (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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