Best Public Schools in Frostburg, MD

The city of Frostburg, Maryland, is served by four schools—three elementary schools and one high school—spanning two different school districts, offering a unique educational landscape for families.

For parents, the standout school is Frost Elementary, which is a clear academic star. It earns a 5-star rating and boasts the highest state ranking (93rd percentile), with 68% of students proficient in Math and 78% in English Language Arts—far exceeding state averages. In contrast, Mountain Ridge High School faces significant challenges, with a 2-star rating, only 6.1% Math proficiency, and a 40.4% chronic absenteeism rate. Among the elementary schools, Beall Elementary performs well (44.3% Math, 53.9% ELA) but has the highest rate of students on free/reduced lunch (60.96%), while Route 40 Elementary (part of Garrett County Public Schools) has the lowest chronic absenteeism at just 9% but scores below state averages. The three Allegany County schools (Mountain Ridge High, Beall Elementary, and Frost Elementary) are under Allegany County Public Schools, which ranks 12th out of 25 districts statewide, while Route 40 Elementary belongs to the higher-ranked Garrett County Public Schools (ranked 9th).

Key takeaways include that Frost Elementary achieves top results despite a higher student-teacher ratio (16.2) and lower spending per student ($17,606) than Beall Elementary ($18,222), suggesting school culture and teaching quality drive success. There is also a clear link between attendance and performance: schools with lower chronic absenteeism, like Route 40 Elementary (9%) and Frost Elementary (21%), tend to have better outcomes, while Mountain Ridge High’s high absenteeism (40.4%) correlates with its low scores. Finally, the math crisis at Mountain Ridge High—with only 6.1% proficiency—is a critical concern that demands attention.