Summary:
The Talbot County Public Schools district in Maryland serves approximately 4,485 students across 8 schools, including 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 2 high schools, and is ranked 14th out of 25 districts in the state with a 3-star rating.
Among the schools, Chapel District Elementary stands out as the top academic performer, achieving a 4-star rating and significantly higher test scores than the district average—51.9% proficiency in math and 69.1% in ELA—despite a moderate free/reduced lunch rate of 40.11%. In contrast, Easton High faces major challenges, with a volatile ranking drop from the 73rd to the 44th percentile, alarmingly low math proficiency at just 6.2%, and the district's highest chronic absenteeism rate of 34.3%. St. Michaels Middle/High School is the top-ranked high school, consistently earning a 3-star rating and excelling in ELA with 69.2% proficiency among 10th graders, while Tilghman Elementary, the smallest school with 99 students, spends the most per student at $23,455 but still has below-average test scores and a high chronic absenteeism rate of 29.8%.
Key district-wide issues include a chronic absenteeism rate of 25.2%, with only St. Michaels Elementary (14.0%) and White Marsh Elementary (15.2%) below this average, and a significant weakness in math, where the district average proficiency is just 20.7% compared to 46.8% for ELA. Elementary schools are a bright spot, with several meeting or exceeding state averages, but this strong foundation does not carry over to middle and high school levels, suggesting a need for targeted support. The data also reveals a disconnect between spending and performance, as Easton Elementary has the highest poverty rate at 75.16% but not the lowest test scores, while Chapel District Elementary achieves top results with moderate spending, indicating that effective strategies matter more than budget size.
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