Best Public Schools in Darlington, MD

Darlington, Maryland, is home to a single public school, Darlington Elementary, a small, rural school serving 96 students in Kindergarten through 5th grade as part of the Harford County Public Schools district.

Darlington Elementary stands out as a high-performing school, earning a 4-star rating and ranking 191st out of 864 Maryland elementary schools. It significantly outperforms both its district and state averages in core subjects, with 70.2% of students proficient in English Language Arts and 44.7% proficient in math, compared to state averages of 51.7% and 27.1%, respectively. This academic success is achieved despite 42.71% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic disadvantage. The school boasts an exceptionally low student-to-teacher ratio of 8.7:1 and a remarkably high per-student spending of $42,650, which is likely inflated by its tiny enrollment but suggests a highly personalized learning environment.

While overall performance is strong, the school shows a concerning trend of declining math proficiency as students progress through grades, dropping from 58.3% in 3rd grade to 30.8% in 5th grade. Additionally, there was a significant year-over-year drop in overall math proficiency from 61% to 44.7%, which warrants close monitoring. In contrast, ELA scores remained stable and high across all grades. Chronic absenteeism sits at 17.3%, slightly better than the district average. The school's high per-pupil cost highlights the financial challenge of operating a very small, rural school, but the academic results demonstrate its effectiveness in providing a quality education.