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North Dorchester High School

Q: Is North Dorchester High School a good school?

North Dorchester High School ranks 161 st of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

161^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 29% of Maryland high schools

Summary

North Dorchester High School in Hurlock, MD, is a small high school serving 526 students in grades 9-12 within the Dorchester County Public Schools district, which is ranked near the bottom of the state. The school serves a community with very high economic need, as evidenced by a 100% free and reduced lunch rate in recent years.

North Dorchester presents a mixed profile of strengths and challenges. On the positive side, the school excels at keeping students on track to graduate, with a graduation rate of 93.5% in 2023-2024. This is dramatically higher than its in-district rival, Cambridge-South Dorchester High School (76.7%), and significantly above the district average (84.4%). The school also has a low dropout rate of 3.9%, compared to Cambridge-South Dorchester's staggering 20.6%. However, academic performance on state assessments remains a significant challenge. Math proficiency is alarmingly low at 16.3%, though this is higher than nearby schools like Easton High (6.2%) and Colonel Richardson High School (5.5%). English Language Arts proficiency is also low at 38.6%. Chronic absenteeism, while improving, remains a concern at 36.4%, though this is far better than Cambridge-South Dorchester's 57.5%.

Comparing North Dorchester to nearby Mardela Middle & High (just 11 miles away) highlights what is possible. Mardela achieves dramatically better results across the board: higher state ranking (81st percentile vs. 30th), higher math proficiency (31.7% vs. 16.3%), higher ELA proficiency (64.9% vs. 38.6%), and lower chronic absenteeism (25.1% vs. 36.4%). This comparison suggests that the challenges at North Dorchester are not insurmountable and that significant improvement is possible, likely requiring a combination of district-level reform, targeted instructional strategies, and community support programs. The school's high graduation rate is a testament to its support systems, but the academic data points to a need for a stronger focus on instructional quality and student learning outcomes.

526

Students ?

14.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,221

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5875 Cloverdale Road
Hurlock, MD 21643

(410) 943-4511

District: Dorchester County Public Schools

Feeder schools for North Dorchester High School:

Elementary:	Hurlock Elementary School
	Vienna Elementary School
	Warwick Elementary School
Middle:	North Dorchester Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.8%

African American:

23.0%

Hispanic:

11.4%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 31st percentile in 2014 → 29th in 2026

Strengths

✓94% graduate within 4 years

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (25% vs 38% meeting standards)

!Geometry scores 31 pts below the Maryland average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school25%

District avg26%

Maryland avg38%

161^st of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Bottom 29%▼ down 12 pts since 2016

From bottom 41% (2016) to bottom 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2High Schools in the Dorchester County Public Schools

21^st of 24Dorchester 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	25.3	161 of 227	29.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	19.0	172 of 220	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.8	118 of 127	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	35.6	126 of 225	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.8	110 of 138	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	35.2	104 of 197	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	51.4	74 of 180	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	42.2	137 of 233	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	47.3	133 of 233	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	44.7	160 of 231	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	9.9	171 of 185	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	18.5	157 of 187	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	36.7	130 of 183	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	49.6	144 of 220	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	57.9	124 of 213	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	63.3	107 of 214	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2007	49.4	116 of 209	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	38.7	136 of 204	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2005	43.4	119 of 204	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2004	40.6	129 of 201	35.8%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts39%-13 vs state

Algebra I17%-4 vs state

Mathematics16%-11 vs state

Geometry14%-31 vs state

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1 rating

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Schools Near North Dorchester High 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 Algebra I (2026)	MCAP Algebra II (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 (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 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 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Algebra II 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
North Dorchester High School	Public	9-12	5875 Cloverdale Road	Hurlock	21643	Dorchester County	Dorchester County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 943-4511	526	36	14.8		299 (56.8%)	121 (23.0%)	60 (11.4%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (7.2%)	25.3	161^st of 227 public high schools	29.1%		19	172^nd of 220 public high schools	21.8%	11				16.3				38.6	38.6	16.8		13.6		$21,221	$3,066	$18,155
Mardela Middle & High	Public	6-12	24940 Delmar Rd	Mardela Springs	21837	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 677-5142	742	52	14.2	44.9%	553 (74.5%)	78 (10.5%)	42 (5.7%)	10 (1.3%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (7.5%)	60.7	43^rd of 227 public high schools	81.1%		52.6	66^th of 220 public high schools	70.0%	23	32.3	32.6	17.6	31.7	71.0	58.1	64.9	64.9	64.9	35.3		44.4	30.2	$18,754	$1,645	$17,109
Colonel Richardson High School	Public	9-12	25320 Richardson Rd	Federalsburg	21632	Caroline County	Caroline County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 479-3678	528	40	13.2	65.9%	291 (55.1%)	128 (24.2%)	50 (9.5%)	13 (2.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (8.5%)	41.6	103^rd of 227 public high schools	54.6%		42.4	100^th of 220 public high schools	54.5%	3				5.5				67.9	67.9	3.9		11.5		$20,348	$1,583	$18,765
Cambridge-South Dorchester High School	Public	9-12	2475 Cambridge Beltway	Cambridge	21613	Dorchester County	Dorchester County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 228-9224	811	49	16.7		197 (24.3%)	460 (56.7%)	96 (11.8%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	48 (5.9%)	12	208^th of 227 public high schools	8.4%		15.6	191^st of 220 public high schools	13.2%	17				2.8				26.5	26.5	2.5		4.1		$20,934	$2,786	$18,148
Dorchester County Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	2465 Cambridge Bypass	Cambridge	21613	Dorchester County	Dorchester County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 901-6950	0	20	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Easton High	Public	9-12	723 Mecklenburg Ave	Easton	21601	Talbot County	Talbot County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 822-4180	1,179	71	16.6	59.1%	561 (47.6%)	208 (17.6%)	334 (28.3%)	23 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (4.5%)	40	113^th of 227 public high schools	50.2%		35	123^rd of 220 public high schools	44.1%	10				6.2				62.5	62.5	3.9	21.1	0.0		$16,469	$1,528	$14,941

Frequently Asked Questions about North Dorchester High School

Is North Dorchester High School a good school?

North Dorchester High School ranks 161^st of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of North Dorchester High School?

Students at North Dorchester High School are 57% White, 23% African American, 11% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is North Dorchester High School in?

Dorchester County Public Schools

What schools feed into North Dorchester High School?

North Dorchester High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Hurlock Elementary School
Elementary : Vienna Elementary School
Elementary : Warwick Elementary School
Middle : North Dorchester Middle School

How many students attend North Dorchester High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 526 students attended North Dorchester 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.