Best Public Schools in Ridgely, MD

The city of Ridgely, Maryland is home to two schools: North Caroline High School and Ridgely Elementary School, both part of the Caroline County Public Schools district. While the high school has a relatively high 4-year graduation rate, both schools face challenges in certain academic areas.

North Caroline High School stands out with a 4-year graduation rate of 87.5% for the 2023-2024 school year, performing above the state and district averages in 10th grade English Language Arts proficiency. However, the school struggles with mathematics proficiency, with only 10.3% of students proficient or better in 2024-2025, well below the state and district averages. In contrast, Ridgely Elementary School performs above the state and district averages in 3rd grade English Language Arts proficiency and shows relatively strong mathematics proficiency in 3rd and 4th grades, but faces challenges with science proficiency, with only 15.3% of 5th graders proficient or better in 2024-2025.

Both schools share a high chronic absenteeism rate of 28.0% in 2023-2024, which may impact student performance. Additionally, while Ridgely Elementary School spends significantly more per student ($19,934) compared to North Caroline High School ($16,883), this does not seem to translate to higher overall academic performance. The data provides a limited view of the educational landscape in Ridgely, and expanding the analysis to include middle schools and alternative schools could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the city's educational system.