Cradlerock Elementary

Columbia, MD 21045

Phone: (410) 319-7601

6

GreatSchools Rating

public • Grades PK,KG,1,2,3,4,5 • 461 students

Cradlerock Elementary, a public school located in Columbia, MD, serves grades PK-5 in the Howard County Public Schools.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 6 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.

Cradlerock Elementary is a public school located in Columbia, MD. 461 students attend Cradlerock Elementary.

School Ratings

Category Rating Details
Test Scores 5/10 The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program data from Maryland State Department of Education, and using 2025 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program End-Of-Course data from Maryland State Department of Education.
Student Growth 7/10 The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student Growth - Elementary Level data from Maryland State Department of Education, and using 2025 Student Growth - Middle Level data from Maryland State Department of Education.

Posted: May 6, 2025

In our family's experience, Cradlerock is a small community school with administrators, teachers, and staff who truly seek to address each student as an individual and a whole person. Over the years, I've enjoyed speaking with many of them and seeing all of them host several before-and-after-school outreach events for parental input (monthly online plenary meetings) and interactive parental guidance (Math, Reading, Science, and Social-Emotional Awareness Nights). Our child has taken advantage of free small group, after-school, teacher-led tutoring, and above-grade math classes, while auditioning and participating in the school's musical! CRES also has the benefit of last year's best all-around county psychologist. Principal Notari and one of the two VPs are new this year, but doing well and fully invested as far as we can tell. The CRES PTA has been a strong, influential organization each of the several years we've been there too, which also speaks volumes. We're so grateful to have these men and women in our children's lives, pushing and prodding them to be their best selves, academically, creatively, emotionally, and physically! If we could fund all their needs and give them all raises, our family would. They literally ROCK!

Posted: May 6, 2025

Posted: May 6, 2025

Posted: May 6, 2025

Posted: May 6, 2025

Posted: May 6, 2025

Posted: May 6, 2025

Posted: May 6, 2025

Posted: December 20, 2023

Great staff, teachers, and community!

We're in our last year here, and the school has been nothing short of amazing every step of the way.

There is so much great stuff going on here - from the movie nights, Watch Dogs, RockTV, concerts, and - as mentioned in another review - the musical. Seriously, how many elementary schools in the county do a musical? Here they put it on with two separate casts... and it's *really* good!!

It's heartbreaking to see that someone did not have a positive experience at CRES. I hope they can find what they are looking for.

Posted: December 20, 2023

Posted: December 20, 2023

Posted: December 20, 2023

Posted: December 20, 2023

Posted: December 20, 2023

Posted: December 20, 2023

Posted: December 20, 2023

Posted: May 10, 2023

As a mom and dad of four girls ages 8 to 27, we've had nothing but the best experience with Cradlerock Elementary. This is Principal Porter's first AY but she's made herself available at each family engagement function, of which there are several each month. I've personally seen her at the Science Fair, the National Science Foundation Night, Career Day, Math Night, and Reading Night. She also walks with the children to school once a quarter. She also lives in our village. (Side note: Last year's play was AMAZINGGGG!!!! and I heard that this year's Lion King, Jr. was nothing short of that - two casts did 6 shows in one week, too!)

The faculty and staff pass out free books in the neighborhoods several times each year and meet virtually with guardians each first Friday to discuss ways to act upon current school objectives. I've had no problem meeting with our last child's teachers to discuss her progress (just because that's been my practice with all of our kids) four times within the first 2 quarters. The student/teacher ratio is not as bad as I've witnessed at other schools. I've often seen additional staff working with special needs children, gently guiding them in the halls. The counseling staff makes themselves readily available to discuss individual concerns, participate in some program planning, and send out newsletters. I've seen "self-governing corners" in at least 3 classrooms, so I imagine that this is a common option in most if not all of them.

The front office staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and proficient. There's a computerized entry system at the front door, as well as another system to track guests that have been given access to classrooms during the school day. I imagine that both of those systems are common to all HCPSS schools. The PTA is highly involved and active. All cultures and ethnicities are welcomed and celebrated. The love and practice of art are evident throughout the school. The Family Engagement Coordinator is a powerhouse unto herself.

I have only 3 concerns: a) the employee attrition rate is not great, but that has been a common concern nationwide. It's definitely not unique to CRES; b) according to the reports, the test scores are fairly low, and c) the county has decided to make ES children within a 1-mile radius walk to school. Again, that's not an issue unique to CRES. There just hasn't been an equitable, "happy ending for all" plan for school bus drivers and the participating community implemented yet.

Posted: May 10, 2023

Posted: May 10, 2023

Posted: May 10, 2023

Posted: May 10, 2023

Posted: May 10, 2023

Posted: May 10, 2023

Posted: May 10, 2023

Posted: March 14, 2023

Horror de Escuela
Personal incompetentes
Comunicación fallida
No hay coherencia en los procesos de aprendizajes en estudiantes atípicos ni estudiantes discapacitados. Es totalmente incompetente el personal
No respetan las leyes de los discapacitados.
Ellos se creen independiente de la ley es del estado de Maryland y pretende hacer ver que el condado de Howard es independiente y se creen más que otros condados y son ineficientes en las políticas educativas que manejan.
Las aulas abarrotadas de estudiantes esto hace que el estudiante no tenga buena atención así que no aprende. El personal educativo maestros directivo entre otros; No están capacitados para trabajar con las necesidades y servicios de los estudiantes Discapacitados. No respetan las leyes de los discapacitados en totalidad.
Existe una burocracia que los está consumiendo.
No respetan los derechos ni las estipulaciones legales del IEP en todas sus facetas.
La escuela deberían intervenirla.
Lamentablemente por COLUMBIA MD; porque es un excelente condado pero pobre en mente actitud y corazón para la diversidad que exige esta escuela. Que tristeza con los estudiantes que pasan por esta escuela.

Posted: March 14, 2023

Posted: March 14, 2023

Posted: March 14, 2023

Posted: March 14, 2023

Posted: March 14, 2023

Posted: March 14, 2023

Posted: March 14, 2023

Reviews provided by GreatSchools™

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