Best Public Schools in Hancock, MD

The city of Hancock, Maryland, is served by two public schools—Hancock Elementary (Pre-K through 5th grade) and Hancock Middle Senior High (6th through 12th grade)—both part of the Washington County Public Schools district, which ranks in the 60th percentile statewide. With a combined enrollment of 432 students, these schools serve a high-poverty community where over 60% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and chronic absenteeism is a significant concern, particularly at the high school level (35.1% vs. the district average of 29.0%).

Hancock Middle Senior High presents a stark contrast in academic performance: it excels in English Language Arts (ELA), with an overall proficiency rate of 60.7% that outpaces both the district (55%) and state (51.7%) averages, yet it struggles profoundly in mathematics, where only 14.6% of students are proficient—far below the district (29.3%) and state (27.1%) averages. This math weakness is especially notable given the school’s high spending of $23,899 per student, raising questions about resource allocation. In comparison, Hancock Elementary shows a bright spot in early math, with 3rd graders achieving a 53.8% proficiency rate, well above district and state averages, but this success fades dramatically by 4th and 5th grade, where proficiency drops to 17.2% and 20%, respectively. The elementary school also lags in ELA, with a 47.8% proficiency rate below both district and state averages.

Key takeaways for parents include a clear "math cliff" between elementary and middle school, suggesting a systemic issue with math instruction or curriculum alignment starting as early as 4th grade. The high school’s graduation rate of 85.0% is below the district average of 89.5%, and its dropout rate of 10.0% is higher than the district’s 8.2%, likely linked to the high chronic absenteeism. While the elementary school builds a strong foundation in early math, this strength is not sustained, and the high school’s ELA success is not mirrored in math. Overall, these schools face significant challenges tied to economic disadvantage, and despite high per-student spending, math outcomes remain a critical area for improvement.