Summary:
The two high schools in Caroline County Public Schools—North Caroline High School and Colonel Richardson High School—serve grades 9 through 12 in a rural Maryland district ranked 15th out of 25 in the state, with both schools sharing a 3-star rating and a high percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Colonel Richardson High School stands out for its stronger student support and core outcomes, despite being the smaller school. It boasts a higher graduation rate (91.3% vs. 83.0%), a much lower dropout rate (4.6% vs. 12.9%), and lower chronic absenteeism (29.0% vs. 34.5%) compared to North Caroline High School. Colonel Richardson also spends significantly more per student ($20,348 vs. $16,883) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (13.2:1 vs. 15.4:1), which correlates with its better performance in English Language Arts (67.9% proficiency vs. 62.9%). In contrast, North Caroline High School shows surprising strength in math, with overall math proficiency more than double that of Colonel Richardson (12.9% vs. 5.5%) and a standout Geometry proficiency rate of 43.6%—nearly matching the state average of 44.5% and far exceeding Colonel Richardson’s 11.5%.
A critical takeaway is the severe Algebra I crisis affecting both schools, with proficiency rates of just 5.6% at North Caroline and 3.9% at Colonel Richardson—far below the district (17.0%) and state (21.3%) averages. This foundational weakness threatens future success in advanced math and science. Additionally, chronic absenteeism rates above 28% at both schools serve as a leading indicator for low math scores and, at North Caroline, the high dropout rate. Addressing attendance is likely the most impactful step the district can take to improve overall outcomes.
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