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Ridgely Elementary School

Q: Is Ridgely Elementary School a good school?

Ridgely Elementary School ranks 456 th of 865 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

456^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 865 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 47% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

Ridgely Elementary School is a PK-5 school in Ridgely, MD, serving 433 students as part of the Caroline County Public Schools district, which ranks in the lower-middle tier of Maryland. The school has a unique academic profile: it excels in mathematics compared to its peers, but struggles significantly in English Language Arts (ELA). For the 2025-2026 school year, 31.1% of Ridgely students were proficient in math, outperforming both the district (23.7%) and state (27.1%) averages. However, only 41.5% were proficient in ELA, well below the district (50.8%) and state (51.7%) averages. This creates an unusual pattern where math scores are higher than ELA scores, opposite to most nearby schools like Preston Elementary School and Denton Elementary School, which have stronger ELA performance.

A bright spot is 4th-grade math, where 43.9% of Ridgely students were proficient—the highest among comparable in-district schools and well above state averages. This suggests effective math instruction at that grade level. However, chronic absenteeism is a persistent challenge, with a rate of 27.0% in 2024-2025, higher than all in-district peers like Greensboro Elementary School (20.8%) and Preston Elementary School (21.4%). This absenteeism likely hampers reading progress, where consistent practice is critical. Notably, Ridgely’s low ELA scores are a school-specific issue, not a district-wide problem, as other Caroline County elementary schools perform much closer to state averages.

Despite these challenges, Ridgely outperforms some schools with higher poverty levels, such as Sudlersville Elementary School in Queen Anne’s County, where Ridgely leads in both math (31.1% vs. 25.6%) and ELA (41.5% vs. 29.5%). The school’s per-student spending of $19,934 is on par with district peers, indicating that resources are available but may need to be better directed, especially toward literacy programs. For parents, Ridgely offers strong math instruction, particularly in 4th grade, but the school’s primary challenge is improving reading and writing outcomes while addressing chronic absenteeism.

433

Students ?

12.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,934

Per pupil spending ?

59.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

118 N Central Ave
Ridgely, MD 21660-1345

(410) 479-3243

District: Caroline County Public Schools

Students who attend Ridgely Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Lockerman Middle School
High:	North Caroline High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

68.8%

Hispanic:

12.5%

African American:

11.1%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Ridgely Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 65th percentile in 2016 → 47th in 2026

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 18 percentile points since 2016

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

!English Language Arts scores 10 pts below the Maryland average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school35%

District avg36%

Maryland avg39%

456^th of 865

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Bottom 47%▼ down 18 pts since 2016

From top 35% (2016) to bottom 47% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 5Elementary Schools in the Caroline County Public Schools

15^th of 24Caroline 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	43.0	456 of 865	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.2	495 of 865	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.9	480 of 859	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.6	431 of 855	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.3	434 of 862	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	34.1	428 of 802	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	65.2	275 of 853	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.9	392 of 857	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	59.1	315 of 847	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	63.2	293 of 845	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2015	66.3	271 of 859	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2014	63.9	356 of 867	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	63.6	327 of 847	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2012	67.1	299 of 857	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2011	69.7	249 of 853	70.8%	★★★★☆
2010	67.1	311 of 855	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2009	55.1	446 of 850	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2008	73.3	233 of 838	72.2%	★★★★☆
2007	34.9	578 of 818	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	37.0	565 of 804	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	63.6	326 of 805	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2004	49.8	465 of 803	42.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	36.9	412 of 796	48.2%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	37.6	339 of 546	37.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	32.0	456 of 788	42.1%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	23.3	397 of 528	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Female (2021)48th percentile~ school

Male (2021)42nd percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)38th percentile-9 vs school

White (2021)25th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts42%-10 vs state

Mathematics31%+4 vs state

Science26%-7 vs state

★

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Schools Near Ridgely Elementary School

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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/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	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
Ridgely Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	118 N Central Ave	Ridgely	21660	Caroline County	Caroline County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 479-3243	433	35	12.3	59.6%	298 (68.8%)	48 (11.1%)	54 (12.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.2%)	43	456^th of 865 public elementary schools	47.3%		38.2	495^th of 865 public elementary schools	42.8%	39	28.3	43.9	23.3	31.1	39.6	54.4	32.9	41.5	25.7	$19,934	$2,447	$17,488
Greensboro Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	625 N Main St	Greensboro	21639	Caroline County	Caroline County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 479-3885	840	65	12.9	76.7%	335 (39.9%)	31 (3.7%)	421 (50.1%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (6.1%)	46.9	436^th of 865 public elementary schools	49.6%		47.5	425^th of 865 public elementary schools	50.9%	11	43.4	36.0	21.9	33.7	46.9	48.2	41.6	45.6	23.5	$18,965	$2,480	$16,485
Denton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	303 Sharp Rd	Denton	21629	Caroline County	Caroline County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 479-1660	596	50	11.9	62.4%	351 (58.9%)	91 (15.3%)	58 (9.7%)	17 (2.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	77 (12.9%)	54.4	372^nd of 865 public elementary schools	57.0%		53.9	378^th of 865 public elementary schools	56.3%	6	36.8	30.5	31.2	32.8	52.9	54.9	52.7	53.4	29.0	$18,834	$2,623	$16,211
Chapel District Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11430 Cordova Rd	Cordova	21625	Talbot County	Talbot County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 822-2391	359	27	13.1	40.1%	278 (77.4%)	11 (3.1%)	42 (11.7%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.2%)	80.9	174^th of 865 public elementary schools	79.9%		80.2	178^th of 865 public elementary schools	79.4%	4	60.5	54.7	36.5	51.9	71.1	71.7	63.5	69.1	40.4	$18,349	$1,414	$16,935
Kennard Elementary School	Public	3-5	420 Little Kidwell Ave	Centreville	21617	Queen Anne's County	Queen Anne's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 758-1166	477	31	15.3	35.6%	355 (74.4%)	38 (8.0%)	43 (9.0%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.3%)	52.6	390^th of 865 public elementary schools	54.9%		54	375^th of 865 public elementary schools	56.6%	15	40.8	35.8	30.2	35.4	46.5	43.4	49.7	46.5	34.2	$15,949	$820	$15,129
Centreville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	213 Homewood Ave	Centreville	21617	Queen Anne's County	Queen Anne's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 758-1320	535	38	14.0	35.0%	415 (77.6%)	20 (3.7%)	65 (12.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.0%)								(n/a)										$15,910	$1,228	$14,683
Church Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	631 Main St	Church Hill	21623	Queen Anne's County	Queen Anne's County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 556-6681	329	25	13.1	45.0%	225 (68.4%)	20 (6.1%)	53 (16.1%)	5 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	24 (7.3%)	61.1	315^th of 865 public elementary schools	63.6%		47.5	426^th of 865 public elementary schools	50.8%	111	57.7	26.4		41.9	61.5	49.1		55.2		$21,073	$2,332	$18,741
Sudlersville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	300 S Church Street	Sudlersville	21668	Queen Anne's County	Queen Anne's County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 438-3164	315	27	11.6	69.5%	164 (52.1%)	20 (6.3%)	115 (36.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	24.5	636^th of 865 public elementary schools	26.5%		24.8	613^th of 865 public elementary schools	29.1%	23	23.4	28.1		25.6	26.6	32.8		29.5		$21,794	$2,638	$19,156
Grasonville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5435 Main St	Grasonville	21638	Queen Anne's County	Queen Anne's County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 827-8070	472	30	15.7	46.4%	293 (62.1%)	50 (10.6%)	80 (16.9%)	8 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	39 (8.3%)	62.1	301^st of 865 public elementary schools	65.2%		63.1	308^th of 865 public elementary schools	64.4%	7	45.1	37.8	47.0	42.9	46.5	48.8	56.7	50.5	38.2	$20,371	$2,230	$18,141
Easton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	307 Glenwood Ave	Easton	21601	Talbot County	Talbot County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 822-0686	1,075	97	11.0	75.2%	294 (27.3%)	192 (17.9%)	486 (45.2%)	35 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (6.3%)	25.7	621^st of 865 public elementary schools	28.2%		22.8	645^th of 865 public elementary schools	25.4%	24	23.5	14.6	19.0	19.1	24.5	36.4	36.2	32.1	23.4	$19,911	$2,490	$17,421

Frequently Asked Questions about Ridgely Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Ridgely Elementary School?

Students at Ridgely Elementary School are 69% White, 12% Hispanic, 11% African American, 7% Two or more races.

What district is Ridgely Elementary School in?

Caroline County Public Schools

How many students attend Ridgely Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 433 students attended Ridgely Elementary School.

Is Ridgely Elementary School a good school?

Ridgely Elementary School ranks 456^th of 865 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Ridgely Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Ridgely Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lockerman Middle School
High : North Caroline High School

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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.