Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary

Q: Is Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary a good school?

Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary ranks 118 th of 864 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

118^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 864 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 86% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary is a high-performing public school in Leonardtown, MD, serving 516 students from Pre-K through 5th grade within the St. Mary's County Public Schools district. This school consistently ranks among the top 15-20% of elementary schools in Maryland, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and placing 118th out of 864 schools statewide for the 2025-2026 school year.

What truly sets Duke Elementary apart is its exceptional academic performance, which significantly outpaces both district and state averages. In Mathematics, 58.3% of students are proficient—22.3 percentage points higher than the district average and 31.2 points higher than the state. In English Language Arts, 68.6% of students are proficient, compared to 58.5% district-wide and 51.7% statewide. Fifth-grade science scores are equally impressive, with 57% proficiency versus 38.1% in the district. This level of achievement is comparable to top nearby schools like Hollywood Elementary and Evergreen Elementary School, but Duke often has a slight edge, particularly in math. Interestingly, Duke Elementary achieves these results with a lower per-student spending ($18,118) than schools with higher poverty rates, such as Green Holly Elementary School ($25,215), suggesting efficient use of resources.

Families considering Duke Elementary should note its consistent upward trajectory in state rankings over the past eight years, rising from the 73rd to the 86th percentile. The school also has a relatively low chronic absenteeism rate of 18.8%, compared to the district average of 27.3%, which supports strong academic outcomes. However, there is a notable performance divide within Leonardtown itself: Duke Elementary (86th percentile) and Leonardtown Elementary (73rd percentile) are only 1.22 miles apart but have significantly different results, with Duke outperforming in nearly every subject. This makes Duke Elementary a standout choice for parents seeking a school with a proven track record of excellence and continuous improvement.

516

Students ?

14.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,118

Per pupil spending ?

19.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

23595 Hayden Farm Lane
Leonardtown, MD 20650

(240) 309-4658

District: St. Mary's County Public Schools

Students who attend Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Leonardtown Middle
High:	Leonardtown High

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.1%

Two or more races:

9.1%

African American:

8.9%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 73rd percentile in 2018 → 86th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maryland average (62% vs 39% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 14% of Maryland elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 13 percentile points since 2018

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school62%

District avg47%

Maryland avg39%

118^th of 864

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Top 14%▲ up 14 pts since 2018

From top 27% (2018) to top 14% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 19Elementary Schools in the St. Mary's County Public Schools

7^th of 25St. Mary's 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	87.3	118 of 864	86.3%	★★★★☆
2025	87.3	108 of 865	87.5%	★★★★☆
2024	83.5	138 of 859	83.9%	★★★★☆
2023	74.5	212 of 855	75.2%	★★★★☆
2022	78.7	185 of 862	78.5%	★★★★☆
2021	70.3	176 of 802	78.1%	★★★★☆
2019	72.9	232 of 853	72.8%	★★★★☆
2018	72.4	235 of 857	72.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	71.1	148 of 796	81.4%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	62.9	204 of 788	74.1%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	60.1	8 of 23	65.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	48.7	242 of 528	54.2%	★★★☆☆

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)81st percentile+3 vs school

Male (2021)74th percentile-4 vs school

Military Connected (2021)65th percentile-13 vs school

White (2021)54th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts69%+17 vs state

Mathematics58%+31 vs state

Science57%+25 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary and help other families decide.

Rate Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

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	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
Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	23595 Hayden Farm Lane	Leonardtown	20650	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 309-4658	516	35	14.9	19.8%	372 (72.1%)	46 (8.9%)	31 (6.0%)	17 (3.3%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	47 (9.1%)	87.3	118^th of 864 public elementary schools	86.3%		87.3	108^th of 865 public elementary schools	87.5%	10	59.6	54.9	60.0	58.3	64.0	69.5	72.0	68.6	57.0	$18,118	$1,079	$17,038
Leonardtown Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	22885 Duke St	Leonardtown	20650	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 475-0250	509	31	16.5	32.4%	336 (66.0%)	68 (13.4%)	33 (6.5%)	22 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (9.8%)	74	233^rd of 864 public elementary schools	73.0%		72	239^th of 865 public elementary schools	72.4%	6	52.9	48.6	33.3	44.4	64.7	62.2	60.6	62.5	43.2	$17,850	$1,475	$16,374
Benjamin Banneker Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	27180 Point Lookout Rd	Loveville	20656	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 475-0260	543	40	13.7	36.6%	416 (76.6%)	55 (10.1%)	25 (4.6%)	8 (1.5%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.6%)	54.8	366^th of 864 public elementary schools	57.6%		59.1	344^th of 865 public elementary schools	60.2%	22	32.1	36.0	27.9	32.0	50.6	52.8	48.8	50.8	39.5	$21,411	$1,540	$19,871
Evergreen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	43765 Wildewood Parkway	California	20619	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 863-4060	715	42	16.9	23.5%	445 (62.2%)	92 (12.9%)	81 (11.3%)	37 (5.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (8.0%)	83.2	153^rd of 864 public elementary schools	82.3%		81.1	170^th of 865 public elementary schools	80.3%	17	47.7	63.1	65.7	58.8	59.5	68.9	67.6	65.4	51.5	$14,965	$949	$14,016
Hollywood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	44345 Joy Chapel Rd	Hollywood	20636	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 373-4350	414	26	15.6	32.1%	263 (63.5%)	43 (10.4%)	43 (10.4%)	13 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	50 (12.1%)	84.5	136^th of 864 public elementary schools	84.3%		81.6	163^rd of 865 public elementary schools	81.2%	27	64.9	52.0	42.3	53.2	73.0	69.3	62.0	68.2	54.9	$19,331	$1,351	$17,980
Oakville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	26410 Three Notch Road	Mechanicsville	20659	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 373-4365	291	20	14.6	43.0%	210 (72.2%)	30 (10.3%)	20 (6.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (10.3%)	63.2	295^th of 864 public elementary schools	65.9%		82.7	154^th of 865 public elementary schools	82.2%	141	46.7	64.9	42.9	50.4	48.9	62.2	42.9	50.4	28.6	$19,098	$1,070	$18,028
Dynard Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	23510 Bushwood Rd	Chaptico	20621	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 769-4804	422	24	17.2	39.6%	324 (76.8%)	37 (8.8%)	22 (5.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (8.5%)	67.5	271^st of 864 public elementary schools	68.6%		70.6	250^th of 865 public elementary schools	71.1%	21	37.1	44.8	44.7	42.4	50.8	58.2	60.5	56.9	39.5	$17,408	$1,004	$16,404
Town Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	45805 Dent Dr	Lexington Park	20653	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 863-4044	220	16	13.4	56.4%	114 (51.8%)	42 (19.1%)	32 (14.5%)	4 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (12.7%)	54.7	367^th of 864 public elementary schools	57.5%		63.3	305^th of 865 public elementary schools	64.7%	62	50.0	42.2	25.8	39.2	50.0	48.9	41.9	47.1	29.0	$22,451	$1,023	$21,428
Greenview Knolls Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	45711 Military Ln	Great Mills	20634	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 863-4095	294	24	12.3	57.1%	87 (29.6%)	110 (37.4%)	30 (10.2%)	14 (4.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	51 (17.3%)	40.4	474^th of 864 public elementary schools	45.1%		47.4	427^th of 865 public elementary schools	50.6%	47	29.8	32.0	18.8	26.9	46.8	54.0	39.6	46.9	14.6	$24,270	$2,669	$21,600
Green Holly Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	46060 Millstone Landing Rd	Lexington Park	20653	St. Mary's County	St. Mary's County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 863-4064	478	38	12.4	63.0%	157 (32.8%)	168 (35.1%)	81 (16.9%)	21 (4.4%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	47 (9.8%)	61.5	307^th of 864 public elementary schools	64.5%		56.9	355^th of 865 public elementary schools	59.0%	48	45.8	55.8	32.1	44.4	54.2	59.6	47.2	53.6	24.5	$25,215	$2,575	$22,640

Frequently Asked Questions about Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary

Is Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary a good school?

Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary ranks 118^th of 864 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary?

Students at Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary are 72% White, 9% Two or more races, 9% African American, 6% Hispanic, 3% Asian.

What district is Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary in?

St. Mary's County Public Schools

What schools do graduates of Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary attend?

Students who attend Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Leonardtown Middle
High : Leonardtown High

How many students attend Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 516 students attended Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary.

Rate Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MDMaryland Elementary School Rankings

MDMaryland District Rankings

Schools in Leonardtown, MD

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary!

Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresNewJul 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.