Summary:
Kent County Public Schools is home to a single middle school, Kent County Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 in Chestertown, MD, with a total enrollment of 354 students.
Kent County Middle School presents a picture of stark contrasts. On one hand, the school spends a very high $23,421 per student and maintains a low student-teacher ratio of 10.3:1, suggesting small class sizes. On the other hand, its academic outcomes are concerning, with the school ranking in the bottom third of Maryland middle schools (29th percentile in 2025-2026). The most critical weakness is in mathematics, where only 7.6% of all students are proficient, compared to the state average of 27.1%. This struggle is most acute in 8th grade, where math proficiency drops to just 4.3%. However, the school shows a relative strength in English Language Arts (ELA), with 36.2% of students proficient, and a notable "Algebra I paradox": while overall math scores are very low, the 17.9% proficiency rate in Algebra I is nearly four times higher than the district average, indicating that a small group of advanced students is performing exceptionally well.
Chronic absenteeism is a significant challenge at 25.6%, though this is notably lower than the district average of 33.1%, suggesting the school may be doing a better job engaging students than other district schools. With 75.42% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, the school serves a high-poverty community. The key takeaway for parents is that Kent County Middle School is a school of contrasts: it has high spending and small classes, yet struggles with foundational math skills for the majority of its students, while simultaneously accelerating a small cohort in advanced math. The primary area of concern is mathematics, where nearly all students are not meeting grade-level standards.
Thank you for your feedback!