Best Public Schools in Parkton, MD

Parkton, Maryland, is served by two schools within the Baltimore County Public Schools district: Seventh District Elementary (grades PK-5) and Hereford High (grades 9-12), both of which significantly outperform their district and state averages in key areas.

Seventh District Elementary is a standout for academic excellence, ranking in the top 10% of elementary schools in Maryland. It boasts exceptional math proficiency at 69.2% and ELA proficiency at 75%, both far above state averages. The school also has a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 7.9% and a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.9:1, with per-student spending of $21,662. In contrast, Hereford High excels in English Language Arts, with a 79.3% proficiency rate nearly 30 points above the state average, but struggles significantly in mathematics, where only 16.5% of students are proficient—well below the state average of 27.1%. This math disparity is a key concern, especially given that students likely feed from the high-performing elementary school.

Both schools share strengths in low chronic absenteeism (12.1% at the high school) and serve relatively affluent populations, with free/reduced lunch rates around 12-14%. The elementary school’s higher per-student spending and lower student-teacher ratio likely contribute to its strong performance. The contrast in math outcomes between the two schools suggests a potential systemic issue at the high school level, while the consistent ELA excellence indicates a strong literacy focus across the Parkton system. Overall, these schools offer a high-quality education with notable academic strengths, though families should be aware of the math performance gap at the high school level.