Benfield Elementary School

Benfield has good teachers and bad teachers. More than a handful are ready to retire. The goal of education in this school is how well the school can do on the MSA tests. MSA test preparation is a priority. Principal has no leadership skills. If you have a problem, it either won't get solved or a secondary crisis will arise because nothing is dealt with in the right away. Staff even joke with parents that the school runs itself. A more appropriate way to state this is staff is running the school. If you run into a problem with a teacher, you are in trouble. You'll be blacklisted. Principal will support her teachers because they are the only ones that support her. (It's nice to be able to run the school.) There are way too many children in each class. Space is small. Facility is outdated. Parents with children with disabilities should beware of major issues. Bad track record in the older grades. Parent involvement is declining. Quality of the school has dropped in the past five years.
--Submitted by a parent

Moved to area Summer 2010, and my child is now attending first grade at Benfield Elem. Staff make it clear they teach students to take tests. School's state test results are sometimes 100% in all categories in multiple grades? My child is having a difficult time learning math and responses for help have been answered with red ink on course work. Course work sent home has been observed with dates as far back as 2001 and everywhere in between. Language on course work is inconsistent adding confusion of child to grasp concepts. The school was built around 1961. My first grader is sharing a class with 25 students. There are two other 1st grade teachers with class size of 24 students. This seems to be an average class size among all grades. We are now in search of a private tutor to augment our child s learning despite attendance at Benfield.
--Submitted by a parent

Moved here for this specific school - children are challenged and staff and principal are excellent. Only negative is parking plan and release of children is poor. Students who ride the bus are excussed first for safety reasons due to the poor traffic flow and poor availability for parking. Non-bused students should be allowed to depart the school at an alternated exit and another driveway should be build with additional parking near the rear of the school which would allow for improved traffic flow for parents who have to drop off and pick up students. This is an easy fix that should be immediately implememented.
--Submitted by a parent

My child has special needs. Since we enrolled at Benfield, he has received all services that I have requested. His grades are up and he is more confident and happy.
--Submitted by a parent

Very strong school with great teaching staff and a large parent volunteer organization. Traditional academic program with an advanced curriculum compared to other schools in Anne Arundel County.
--Submitted by a parent