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West Side Elementary

Q: Is West Side Elementary a good school?

West Side Elementary ranks 491 st of 865 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

491^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 865 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 43% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

West Side Elementary in Cumberland, MD, is a PK-5 school serving 321 students within the Allegany County Public Schools district, where a high percentage of students (72.59%) come from low socio-economic backgrounds.

West Side Elementary has historically been a solid, mid-tier performer, but recent data shows a concerning downward trend. After a decade of earning 3-star ratings, the school has dropped to a 2-star rating for two consecutive years, now ranking in the 43rd percentile statewide. The most significant academic challenge is in English Language Arts (ELA), where only 41.2% of students are proficient—12 percentage points below the district average and 10.5 points below the state average. This gap is consistent across all grade levels and is the primary driver of the school's low overall ranking. In contrast, nearby schools like Frost Elementary (78% proficient) and Northeast Elementary (73.2% proficient) significantly outperform West Side in this critical subject. Interestingly, math performance is nearly identical to district and state averages, suggesting instructional strategies may be more effective in math than in reading and writing.

Chronic absenteeism is another key concern, with a rate of 26.3% that is better than the district average (33.6%) but much higher than peers like Bel Air Elementary (16.3%) and Mt. Savage Elementary (20.3%). Despite spending $21,225 per student—more than high-performing peers like Frost Elementary ($17,606) and Northeast Elementary ($16,123)—these investments are not translating into commensurate academic outcomes. While poverty is a significant challenge, it is not insurmountable; Cash Valley Elementary has a similar poverty rate (62.41%) but significantly outperforms West Side in both math (57% vs. 26.5%) and ELA (60.5% vs. 41.2%). This suggests that other factors, such as resource allocation and program effectiveness, are at play at West Side.

321

Students ?

11.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,225

Per pupil spending ?

72.6%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

425 Paca St
Cumberland, MD 21502-2818

(301) 724-0340

District: Allegany County Public Schools

Students who attend West Side Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Washington Middle
High:	Fort Hill High

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.3%

Two or more races:

13.7%

African American:

9.0%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare West Side Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 52nd percentile in 2016 → 43rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (33% vs 39% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 9 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school33%

District avg39%

Maryland avg39%

491^st of 865

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Bottom 43%▼ down 8 pts since 2016

From top 48% (2016) to bottom 43% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

13^th of 14Elementary Schools in the Allegany County Public Schools

12^th of 24Allegany County Public Schools among Maryland districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2026	38.8	491 of 865	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	46.1	443 of 865	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.3	356 of 859	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.8	373 of 855	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.0	387 of 862	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	45.9	314 of 802	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.8	343 of 853	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.3	258 of 857	69.9%	★★★★☆
2017	57.9	322 of 847	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	48.3	409 of 845	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2015	34.9	523 of 859	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2014	67.2	315 of 867	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	56.4	401 of 847	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	45.7	528 of 857	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2011	30.2	656 of 853	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	50.6	491 of 855	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	63.6	348 of 850	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2008	59.7	393 of 838	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	60.0	360 of 818	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	65.4	308 of 804	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2005	62.4	345 of 805	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2004	74.8	201 of 803	75.0%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	43.3	338 of 796	57.5%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	43.0	269 of 546	50.7%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	45.7	317 of 788	59.8%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	34.1	312 of 528	40.9%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Male (2021)60th percentile~ school

Female (2021)58th percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)51st percentile-10 vs school

White (2021)41st percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts41%-11 vs state

Mathematics26%~ state avg

Science26%-7 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, May 29, 2014

The staff is open, caring, and concerned about the children. The Chinese Partial Immersion Program is an amazing experience! Close Quote

Schools Near West Side Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAP Mathematics (2026)				MCAP English Language Arts (2026)				MCAP Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
West Side Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	425 Paca St	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 724-0340	321	27	11.7	72.6%	229 (71.3%)	29 (9.0%)	14 (4.4%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (13.7%)	38.8	491^st of 865 public elementary schools	43.2%		46.1	443^rd of 865 public elementary schools	48.8%	48	26.7	31.3	22.2	26.5	42.2	45.8	36.4	41.2	25.9	$21,225	$3,660	$17,565
South Penn Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	500 E 2nd St	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 777-1755	491	48	10.3	79.6%	346 (70.5%)	48 (9.8%)	13 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (16.7%)	31.1	567^th of 865 public elementary schools	34.5%		24.7	616^th of 865 public elementary schools	28.8%	49	43.4	32.3	7.3	29.6	36.8	36.9	23.6	33.2	9.1	$23,297	$3,802	$19,495
John Humbird Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	120 Mary St	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 724-8842	242	21	11.5	85.1%	174 (71.9%)	31 (12.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (14.5%)	41.6	470^th of 865 public elementary schools	45.7%		43.5	461^st of 865 public elementary schools	46.7%	9	31.3	19.2	30.8	28.3	47.9	30.8	51.3	45.1	22.5	$22,835	$3,547	$19,288
Northeast Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11001 Forest Ave Ne	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 724-3285	272	19	14.3	57.7%	223 (82.0%)	12 (4.4%)	5 (1.8%)	4 (1.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (9.9%)	87	122^nd of 865 public elementary schools	85.9%		85.1	135^th of 865 public elementary schools	84.4%	13	65.1	67.3	51.2	61.6	79.1	75.0	65.1	73.2	38.6	$16,123	$1,270	$14,852
Cash Valley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10601 Cash Valley Rd Nw	Lavale	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 724-6632	266	24	11.0	62.4%	222 (83.5%)	15 (5.6%)	12 (4.5%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.3%)	74.6	227^th of 865 public elementary schools	73.8%		72.7	233^rd of 865 public elementary schools	73.1%	6	52.6	52.6	65.8	57.0	44.7	68.4	68.4	60.5	33.3	$25,419	$3,969	$21,450
Parkside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	50 Parkside Blvd	Lavale	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 729-0085	222	17	13.0	50.5%	176 (79.3%)	10 (4.5%)	6 (2.7%)	5 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (11.3%)	72.7	247^th of 865 public elementary schools	71.4%		86.3	120^th of 865 public elementary schools	86.1%	127	36.0	46.9	44.7	43.2	52.0	75.0	57.9	62.1	44.7	$19,913	$2,950	$16,963
Cresaptown Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	13202 6th Ave	Cresaptown	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 729-0212	268	22	12.1	57.8%	235 (87.7%)	9 (3.4%)	5 (1.9%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	14 (5.2%)	67	275^th of 865 public elementary schools	68.2%		66.4	283^rd of 865 public elementary schools	67.3%	8	70.0	39.1	29.4	44.5	66.7	47.8	55.9	55.5	40.0	$18,903	$1,983	$16,919
Bel Air Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	14401 Barton Blvd	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 729-2992	216	17	12.7	48.1%	200 (92.6%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.5%)	4 (1.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.7%)	60	328^th of 865 public elementary schools	62.1%		60.9	326^th of 865 public elementary schools	62.3%	2	44.4	37.5	32.5	37.4	51.9	50.0	52.5	51.5	37.5	$18,765	$1,437	$17,328
Mt. Savage Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	13201 New School Rd Nw	Mount Savage	21545	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 264-3220	218	20	10.6	49.1%	203 (93.1%)	3 (1.4%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.6%)	52.9	385^th of 865 public elementary schools	55.5%		49.3	413^th of 865 public elementary schools	52.3%	28	32.4	28.0	42.5	35.3	35.1	56.0	55.0	48.0	32.5	$17,867	$3,898	$13,969
Beall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3 E College Ave	Frostburg	21532	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 689-3636	415	32	12.9	61.0%	344 (82.9%)	12 (2.9%)	11 (2.7%)	7 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (9.9%)	65.4	285^th of 865 public elementary schools	67.1%		68.6	269^th of 865 public elementary schools	68.9%	16	50.0	39.3	42.6	44.3	55.9	53.6	52.2	53.9	34.8	$18,222	$1,746	$16,477

Frequently Asked Questions about West Side Elementary

What schools do graduates of West Side Elementary attend?

Students who attend West Side Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Washington Middle
High : Fort Hill High

What is the racial makeup of West Side Elementary?

Students at West Side Elementary are 71% White, 14% Two or more races, 9% African American, 4% Hispanic.

How many students attend West Side Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 321 students attended West Side Elementary.

What district is West Side Elementary in?

Allegany County Public Schools

Is West Side Elementary a good school?

West Side Elementary ranks 491^st of 865 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate West Side Elementary!

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Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresJul 28, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCAP test scoresAug 26, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.