As the new school year starts Tuesday, it's a good time to find out how your local elementary schools stack up against others in Maryland — especially if you're sending your children to school for the very first time. Niche.com has released its annual rankings of the best elementary schools in the country and across Maryland.

According to Niche.com, the rankings are based on "rigorous analysis" of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, as well as reviews from students and parents. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, grade school ratings, and the overall quality of the school district.

According to Niche, the best elementary school in Maryland is Carl Sandburg Elementary School in Rockville, in the Montgomery County Public Schools District. Schools from Montgomery, Howard and Frederick county school systems make up the majority of the top 100 list. There are no Harford or Prince George's County schools in the ranking, and only two from Anne Arundel County. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's daily newsletter and real-time news alerts, or like us on Facebook. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)