About Us

Howard County, Maryland is a suburban community of over 285,000 situated midway along the Baltimore-Washington corridor. It is a county of contrasts - a blend of old and new, urban and rural, historical and progressive. The county's borders encompass Ellicott City, one of the country's oldest towns, and Columbia, a planned community conceived and designed 40 years ago by The Rouse Company.

A great community deserves great schools, and the HCPSS is a recognized source of local pride. The school system consistently ranks among Maryland's top school districts based on student performance on the Maryland School Assessments. Howard County students score above the national averages on standardized tests and nearly 92% of graduates continue their education beyond high school. (View Class of 2012 Profile.)

2012-13 Fast Facts About Our Student Population

74 Schools	Students Receiving Special Services (2011-12)
40 elementary schools 19 middle schools 12 high schools 3 education centers	Limited English Proficient - ≤ 5% Free/Reduced Lunch - 17.2% (includes Pre-K) Special Education - 8.3%
Total Enrollment - 50,969*	Attendance Rate (2011-12)
(PreK-5) - 23,804 Middle (6-8) - 11,462 High (9-12) - 16,555 Special School - 103 *Official count does not included PreK	Elementary - ≥ 95% Middle - ≥ 95% High - ≥ 95%
Race/Ethnicity	Graduation Rate: 90.6%
White - 45.9% Asian - 17.6% Hispanic - 8.8% American Indian/Alaskan - 0.2% African American - 21.2% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander - 0.1% Two or more races - 6.2%	4-year adjusted cohort
	Per Pupil Expenditure FY 2013
	$76.79 per day/$13,823 per year

2012-13 Profile, Facts And Figures

Profile of the HCPSS

Mission And Goals

Mission

Goals

The mission of the HCPSS is to ensure excellence in teaching and learning so that each student will participate responsibly in a diverse and changing world.

Goal 1
Each child regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, disability or socio-economic status, will meet the rigorous performance standards that have been established. All diploma-bound students will perform on or above grade level in all measured content areas.

Goal 2
Each school will provide a safe and nurturing school environment that values our diversity and commonality.