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Central Middle

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

23^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 339 Maryland Middle Schools

Better than 93% of Maryland middle schools

Summary

Central Middle in Edgewater, MD, is a high-performing public school serving 1,204 students in grades 6 through 8, and it consistently ranks in the top 10% of all middle schools in Maryland, earning a 5-star rating for the 2025-2026 school year.

This school stands out for its exceptional academic performance, particularly in advanced math. An impressive 83.1% of students taking the Algebra I exam were proficient, a rate that dramatically exceeds the district average of 26.3% and even outperforms nearby high-achieving peers like Severna Park Middle (67.3%) and Magothy River Middle (77%). Central Middle also excels across all core subjects, with proficiency rates in Mathematics (48.3%), English Language Arts (70.2%), and Science (60.3%) all significantly above district and state averages. Furthermore, the school has a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of 13.2%, which is much better than the district average of 19.9% and starkly contrasts with nearby schools like Annapolis Middle (28.5%) and Wiley H. Bates Middle (22.8%).

Central Middle also demonstrates notable efficiency, spending $15,465 per student—less than many of its peers—while achieving superior results. For example, it spends less than Severn River Middle ($18,816) and Southern Middle ($17,906) but delivers far stronger academic outcomes. This combination of top-tier academics, strong attendance, and effective resource use makes Central Middle a standout choice within the Anne Arundel County Public Schools district.

1,204

Students ?

15.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,465

Per pupil spending ?

20%

Free/discounted lunch ?

221 Central Ave E
Edgewater, MD 21037-2802

(410) 956-5800

District: Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Students who attend Central Middle usually attend:

High:

South River High

Feeder schools for Central Middle:

Elementary:	Central Elementary
	Davidsonville Elementary
	Edgewater Elementary
	Mayo Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.8%

Hispanic:

15.2%

African American:

5.6%

See top rated Maryland middle schools

Compare Central Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 85th percentile in 2016 → 93rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maryland average (61% vs 37% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 7% of Maryland middle schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 8 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school61%

District avg41%

Maryland avg37%

23^rd of 339

Maryland public middle schools ?

Top 7%▲ up 8 pts since 2016

From top 15% (2016) to top 7% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 19Middle Schools in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools

13^th of 25Anne Arundel 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	91.9	23 of 339	93.2%	★★★★★
2025	91.9	25 of 337	92.6%	★★★★★
2024	88.1	33 of 328	89.9%	★★★★★
2023	82.3	45 of 322	86.0%	★★★★☆
2022	89.3	30 of 333	91.0%	★★★★★
2021	77.0	59 of 303	80.5%	★★★★☆
2019	92.1	24 of 316	92.4%	★★★★★
2018	95.0	15 of 328	95.4%	★★★★★
2017	90.3	31 of 317	90.2%	★★★★★
2016	80.1	46 of 314	85.4%	★★★★☆
2015	83.5	38 of 315	87.9%	★★★★☆
2014	84.1	46 of 339	86.4%	★★★★☆
2013	81.0	53 of 316	83.2%	★★★★☆
2012	83.7	42 of 314	86.6%	★★★★☆
2011	86.7	23 of 309	92.6%	★★★★★
2010	84.5	33 of 324	89.8%	★★★★★
2009	85.2	28 of 301	90.7%	★★★★★
2008	83.5	42 of 283	85.2%	★★★★☆
2007	9.6	237 of 264	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	13.6	219 of 254	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	14.9	221 of 255	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	26.0	194 of 252	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	86.3	17 of 259	93.4%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	73.9	22 of 116	81.0%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	74.0	58 of 303	80.9%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	61.0	61 of 207	70.5%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	68.5	46 of 273	83.2%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	80.7	44 of 288	84.7%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	59.2	10 of 27	63.0%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	58.3	48 of 136	64.7%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	63.7	25 of 120	79.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	59.0	85 of 210	59.5%	★★★☆☆

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)

African American (2021)93rd percentile+13 vs school

Male (2021)85th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)83rd percentile+3 vs school

Asian (2021)81st percentile~ school

Female (2021)81st percentile~ school

Special Education (2021)79th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2021)71st percentile-10 vs school

Multi-racial (2021)65th percentile-16 vs school

Military Connected (2021)63rd percentile-18 vs school

White (2021)60th percentile-21 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I83%+62 vs state

English Language Arts70%+18 vs state

Science60%+29 vs state

Mathematics48%+21 vs state

3.3

3 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, May 9, 2019

This school needs new leadership. My child and other peers who are model students (smart, hardworking, talented) are very unhappy here. This school has STEM magnet program but we have not heard of many kids who love it. Some very dedicated teachers, but the band teacher is an extremely mean bully. Some teachers like the band teacher get away with singling out kids and bullying them openly in front of other kids. The principal clearly is unable to manages this since it has been going on for years. The school is far too packed and we know of too many kids who are miserable. This school offers little for smart kids who are not in STEM. Smart kids get dumbed down in most classes. Social innovations teacher Ms. Knell is a savior because she is kind, calming, and compassionate. The principal Beall needs to retire -- no passion, poor interpersonal interactions with parents, and doesn't relate well to the kids. This school is literally destroying some kids...esp the model students. Very upsetting. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, February 12, 2013

I have two students at the school right now. We came from a private "academic" school that we felt was not providing the education we were paying for. I was pleasantly surprised at the curriculum when my oldest first started going there. The 2011-2012 school year was a bit of a disaster as the school had tried to change their curriculum by doing heterogenous grouping. Fast forward to 2012-13 school year and things have changed dramatically. My kids are in the advanced classes and excelling. The language arts curriculum has the 8th grade students writing essays comparable to what I did at an honors college! They are enthusiastic about their classes and while not all the teachers are great, most of them are. You definitely have a wide selection of children going to school there from all different socioeconomic backgrounds; expect your children to be exposed to things they may need to make choices about. I see this as part of life's lessons. If you are bringing them up right, you have nothing to worry about. Because our year last year was marginal as far as the academics go, I am unable to give a full 5 stars. If I were rating on this year alone, I'd go 4.5. I think the 6th graders coming into the school who were in advanced math in 5th grade could use a more challenging math curriculum than the STEMathmatics. Other than that, I have no complaints! Close Quote

Schools Near Central Middle

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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 Algebra I (2026)	MCAP Geometry (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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	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 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	221 Central Ave E	Edgewater	21037	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(410) 956-5800	1,204	78	15.3	20.0%	865 (71.8%)	67 (5.6%)	183 (15.2%)	28 (2.3%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	58 (4.8%)	91.9	23^rd of 339 public middle schools	93.2%		91.9	25^th of 337 public middle schools	92.6%	2	45.2	48.3	29.2	48.3	68.9	72.8	68.8	70.2	83.1		60.3	$15,465	$1,140	$14,326
Annapolis Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1399 Forest Dr	Annapolis	21403	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(410) 267-8658	790	74	10.6	85.1%	66 (8.4%)	215 (27.2%)	480 (60.8%)	11 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.3%)	19.5	287^th of 339 public middle schools	15.3%		25	245^th of 337 public middle schools	27.3%	42	5.7	5.6	3.1	7.3	27.9	23.4	29.9	27.1	63.3		13.0	$23,011	$2,560	$20,450
Wiley H. Bates Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	701 Chase Street	Annapolis	21401	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(410) 263-0270	707	67	10.5	54.7%	236 (33.4%)	176 (24.9%)	250 (35.4%)	15 (2.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.8%)	58.1	125^th of 339 public middle schools	63.1%		55.5	137^th of 337 public middle schools	59.3%	12	23.9	24.8	4.9	25.6	49.4	49.3	53.7	50.7	71.8		35.6	$22,850	$1,964	$20,887
Southern Middle	Public	6-8	5235 Solomons Island Rd	Lothian	20711	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 867-0050	726	53	13.7	47.5%	422 (58.1%)	47 (6.5%)	215 (29.6%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (4.7%)	57.3	131^st of 339 public middle schools	61.4%		64.8	110^th of 337 public middle schools	67.4%	21	12.6	23.7	17.7	21.4	50.4	49.8	53.5	51.4	88.2		28.1	$17,906	$1,417	$16,489
Crofton Middle	Public	6-8	2301 Davidsonville Rd	Gambrills	21054	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 793-0280	1,345	78	17.2	19.8%	673 (50.0%)	297 (22.1%)	158 (11.7%)	113 (8.4%)	5 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	97 (7.2%)	90.2	29^th of 339 public middle schools	91.4%		91.2	31^st of 337 public middle schools	90.8%	2	38.3	44.8	20.2	43.4	68.5	75.5	74.4	72.8	83.8	80.0	54.7	$14,054	$1,104	$12,950
Magothy River Middle	Public	6-8	241 Peninsula Farm Rd	Arnold	21012	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 544-0926	655	44	14.7	18.2%	483 (73.7%)	30 (4.6%)	75 (11.5%)	20 (3.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (6.7%)	94.4	15^th of 339 public middle schools	95.6%		93.5	17^th of 337 public middle schools	95.0%	2	43.0	46.0	28.2	47.7	74.2	74.4	85.9	78.4	77.0		63.4	$18,115	$1,339	$16,776
Severn River Middle	Public	6-8	241 Peninsula Farm Rd	Arnold	21012	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 544-0922	675	47	14.3	20.3%	461 (68.3%)	51 (7.6%)	93 (13.8%)	17 (2.5%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (7.3%)	91.9	24^th of 339 public middle schools	92.9%		91.7	27^th of 337 public middle schools	92.0%	3	37.8	46.4	23.5	46.2	73.0	75.8	80.0	76.3	85.7		53.4	$18,816	$1,548	$17,269
Benjamin Tasker Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	4901 Collington Rd	Bowie	20715	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 805-2660	1,058	69	15.4	53.8%	113 (10.7%)	713 (67.4%)	153 (14.5%)	45 (4.3%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	29 (2.7%)	56.9	132^nd of 339 public middle schools	61.1%		58.6	125^th of 337 public middle schools	62.9%	7	21.6	19.6	7.5	18.9	56.1	57.2	52.0	55.1	36.7	50.0	26.4	$18,762	$1,026	$17,736
Samuel Ogle Middle	Public	6-8	4111 Chelmont Ln	Bowie	20715	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 805-2641	806	52	15.5	55.3%	96 (11.9%)	473 (58.7%)	181 (22.5%)	33 (4.1%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	18 (2.2%)	61.8	119^th of 339 public middle schools	64.9%		62.7	117^th of 337 public middle schools	65.3%	2	16.0	18.3	15.0	17.5	60.5	66.2	55.0	60.8	34.1		26.5	$19,528	$1,076	$18,451
Severna Park Middle	Public	6-8	450 Jumpers Hole Rd	Severna Park	21146	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 647-7900	1,386	82	16.9	7.8%	1,099 (79.3%)	38 (2.7%)	89 (6.4%)	69 (5.0%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	89 (6.4%)	97.7	2^nd of 339 public middle schools	99.4%		98.6	1^st of 337 public middle schools	99.7%	1	55.5	61.5	30.4	57.1	84.4	87.7	87.1	86.3	67.3		60.0	$14,984	$1,151	$13,833

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Middle

How many students attend Central Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,204 students attended Central Middle.

Is Central Middle a good school?

Yes. Central Middle ranks in the top 6.8% of Maryland middle schools.

What district is Central Middle in?

Anne Arundel County Public Schools

What high school do graduates of Central Middle attend?

Students who attend Central Middle usually go on to attend South River High

What is the racial makeup of Central Middle?

Students at Central Middle are 72% White, 15% Hispanic, 6% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

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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.