These Are The Top Elementary Schools In MD, U.S. News Says In New Ranking

Ocean City Elementary is the best public elementary school in Maryland, according to a new ranking Tuesday from U.S. News & World Report.

U.S. News researchers based the 2026 ranking of the nation’s best public elementary schools on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education. Elementary schools are considered either pre-K-5 or pre-K-6 in the analysis. For schools that have a wider grade span, only tests through fifth grade were considered.

The top 25 public elementary schools in Maryland are:

1. Ocean City Elementary, preK-4

Ocean City, Worcester County Public Schools

2. Pinewood Elementary, preK-5

Timonium, Baltimore County Public Schools

3. Benfield Elementary, preK-5

Severna Park, Anne Arundel County Public Schools

4. Glenarden Woods Elementary, 2-5

Lanham, Prince George's County Public Schools

5. Bradley Hills Elementary, K-5

Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools

6. West Towson Elementary, preK-5

Baltimore, Baltimore County Public Schools

7. Bannockburn Elementary, K-5

Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools

8. Seven Locks Elementary K-5

Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools

9. Westbrook Elementary, K-5

Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools

10. Cold Spring Elementary, K-5

Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools

11. Chapel Hill Elementary, K-5

Perry Hall, Baltimore County Public Schools

12. Carderock Springs Elementary, K-5

Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools

13. Wayside Elementary, preK-5

Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools

14. Bells Mill Elementary, preK-5

Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools

15. Wyngate Elementary, K-5

Bethesda, Montgomery County Public Schools

16. Rodgers Forge Elementary, K-5

Baltimore, Baltimore County Public Schools

17. Worthington Elementary, preK-5

Ellicott City, Howard County Public Schools

18. Timonium Elementary, K-5

Timonium, Baltimore County Public Schools

19. Stone Mill Elementary, preK-5

North Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools

20. Heather Hills Elementary, 2-5

Bowie, Prince George's County Public Schools

21. Pocomoke Elementary, preK-3

Pocomoke City, Worcester County Public Schools

22. Belmont Elementary, K-5

Olney, Montgomery County Public Schools

23. Freedom District Elementary, K-5

Sykesville, Carroll County Public Schools

24. Potomac Elementary, K-5

Potomac, Montgomery County Public Schools

25. Chevy Chase Elementary, 3-5

Chevy Chase, Montgomery County Public Schools

The report includes about 47,000 public elementary schools ranked at the state and district levels based on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education.

SEE ALSO:

• The Top 25 High Schools In Maryland For 2025-26: U.S. News & World Report
• MD's Best Public High Schools Ranked In New Analysis
• 11 MD Schools Named To Princeton Review's Best Colleges List

For district-level rankings, at least two of the top-performing schools must rank in the top 75 percent of the overall elementary or middle school rankings to qualify for recognition.

“The 2026 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings highlight institutions that excel in fostering student achievement and providing exceptional learning environments for all,” U.S. News said of the report.

The rankings methodology focuses on state assessments of students who were proficient or above proficient in mathematics and reading/language arts, while accounting for student background and achievement in core subjects. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in the overall score.