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Pemberton Elementary

Q: Is Pemberton Elementary a good school?

Pemberton Elementary ranks 613 th of 865 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

613^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 865 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 29% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

Pemberton Elementary is a mid-sized school in Salisbury, MD, serving 506 students from Pre-K through 5th grade within the Wicomico County Public Schools district, where about 66% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

While Pemberton spends above the district average per student ($20,305) and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.5:1, its academic performance has declined to a 1-star rating. Only 23.5% of students are proficient in Math and 32.6% in English Language Arts (ELA), which trails both the district and state averages. The school’s ELA scores are a particular concern, with the gap between Pemberton and the district widening from 2.5 points in 2022-2023 to 8.9 points in 2025-2026. Fifth-grade performance is especially weak, with just 20.3% proficiency in Math and 21.3% in ELA, and only 11.1% of 5th graders are proficient in Science—the largest performance gap across all subjects. This is a stark contrast to North Salisbury Elementary, located just 1.77 miles away, where 5th graders achieve 47.2% proficiency in Math and 58.3% in ELA.

On a positive note, chronic absenteeism has dropped dramatically from a peak of 41.6% during the pandemic to 15.8% in 2024-2025, now well below the district average of 22.4%. However, the school’s high spending has not translated into strong outcomes, suggesting resources may be heavily directed toward supporting a high-needs population. Pemberton’s challenges are shared by other high-poverty, full-elementary schools in the district, such as Pinehurst Elementary and Prince Street School, which also hold 1-star ratings. For parents, this school offers a dedicated staff and improving attendance, but academic growth—especially in reading and science—remains a significant area of concern.

506

Students ?

11.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,305

Per pupil spending ?

65.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1300 Pemberton Dr
Salisbury, MD 21801

(410) 677-5809

District: Wicomico County Public Schools

Students who attend Pemberton Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Salisbury Middle
High:	James M. Bennett High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

56.7%

White:

24.5%

Two or more races:

7.5%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Pemberton Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 39th percentile in 2016 → 29th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (26% vs 39% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 10 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school26%

District avg32%

Maryland avg39%

613^th of 865

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Bottom 29%▼ down 10 pts since 2016

From bottom 39% (2016) to bottom 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 10Elementary Schools in the Wicomico County Public Schools

16^th of 24Wicomico 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	26.5	613 of 865	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.5	650 of 865	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.3	605 of 859	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.8	573 of 855	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.7	563 of 862	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	27.8	510 of 802	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.8	498 of 853	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.5	461 of 857	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	37.2	496 of 847	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	36.3	517 of 845	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2015	25.6	618 of 859	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	50.3	512 of 867	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	49.0	473 of 847	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	61.3	380 of 857	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2011	58.7	398 of 853	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	65.9	327 of 855	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2009	59.8	388 of 850	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2008	67.6	289 of 838	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2007	17.4	704 of 818	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	11.4	729 of 804	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	18.4	690 of 805	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	12.4	717 of 803	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	21.5	429 of 504	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	27.7	518 of 796	34.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	20.9	604 of 788	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	33.7	318 of 528	39.8%	★★☆☆☆

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)

White (2021)40th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2021)35th percentile~ school

Male (2021)23rd percentile-13 vs school

African American (2021)15th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts33%-19 vs state

Mathematics24%-4 vs state

Science11%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near Pemberton 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/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
Pemberton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1300 Pemberton Dr	Salisbury	21801	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 677-5809	506	44	11.5	65.6%	124 (24.5%)	287 (56.7%)	35 (6.9%)	17 (3.4%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	38 (7.5%)	26.5	613^th of 865 public elementary schools	29.1%		22.5	650^th of 865 public elementary schools	24.9%	37	31.2	18.9	20.3	23.5	44.3	32.4	21.3	32.6	11.1	$20,305	$2,932	$17,373
Pinehurst Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	520 S Pinehurst Ave	Salisbury	21801	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 677-5810	564	45	12.5	68.8%	108 (19.1%)	329 (58.3%)	82 (14.5%)	10 (1.8%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	31 (5.5%)	23.1	648^th of 865 public elementary schools	25.1%		23.9	629^th of 865 public elementary schools	27.3%	19	28.8	20.8	15.7	21.6	32.4	33.3	19.4	28.4	15.1	$20,002	$3,010	$16,992
Charles H. Chipman Elementary	Public	PK, KG-1	711 Lake St	Salisbury	21801	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 677-5814	303	25	12.3	70.6%	39 (12.9%)	207 (68.3%)	32 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	23 (7.6%)								(n/a)										$21,985	$4,087	$17,898
Prince Street School	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Prince Street	Salisbury	21804	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 677-5813	976	64	15.2	73.0%	87 (8.9%)	528 (54.1%)	268 (27.5%)	16 (1.6%)	4 (0.4%)	5 (0.5%)	68 (7.0%)	25	629^th of 865 public elementary schools	27.3%		21.8	668^th of 865 public elementary schools	22.8%	39	42.4	22.3	19.1	27.9	27.2	21.5	21.7	23.5	14.9	$15,949	$2,815	$13,134
North Salisbury Elementary	Public, Magnet	3-5	1213 Emerson Ave	Salisbury	21801	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(410) 677-5807	526	41	12.8	49.0%	171 (32.5%)	200 (38.0%)	78 (14.8%)	27 (5.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (8.9%)	75.8	219^th of 865 public elementary schools	74.7%		77.7	200^th of 865 public elementary schools	76.9%	19	58.0	47.4	47.2	50.6	62.0	53.2	58.3	57.6	47.2	$17,552	$1,530	$16,022
West Salisbury	Public	PK, KG-2	1321 West Road	Salisbury	21801	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 677-5816	409	31	13.1	68.0%	45 (11.0%)	220 (53.8%)	95 (23.2%)	10 (2.4%)	7 (1.7%)	4 (1.0%)	28 (6.8%)								(n/a)										$19,028	$2,631	$16,397
East Salisbury Elementary	Public	3-5	1201 Old Ocean City Rd	Salisbury	21804	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 677-5803	486	38	12.7	73.5%	77 (15.8%)	256 (52.7%)	104 (21.4%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (8.8%)	14.6	760^th of 865 public elementary schools	12.1%		17.2	729^th of 865 public elementary schools	15.7%	31	19.3	13.3	8.9	14.0	28.1	23.1	21.9	24.5	7.6	$19,605	$3,882	$15,723
Fruitland Intermediate	Public	3-5	208 W Main St	Fruitland	21826	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 677-5805	343	29	11.8	57.1%	161 (46.9%)	90 (26.2%)	45 (13.1%)	10 (2.9%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	34 (9.9%)	47.7	428^th of 865 public elementary schools	50.5%		46.4	438^th of 865 public elementary schools	49.4%	10	48.9	28.8	28.1	35.4	50.4	40.8	41.9	44.4	25.4	$18,588	$2,193	$16,395
Glen Avenue School	Public	2-5	1615 Glen Ave	Salisbury	21804	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 677-5806	386	37	10.4	82.4%	51 (13.2%)	254 (65.8%)	44 (11.4%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	30 (7.8%)	15.2	754^th of 865 public elementary schools	12.8%		18	713^th of 865 public elementary schools	17.6%	41	28.0	14.8	6.9	17.5	27.1	21.1	14.0	21.4	6.8	$20,621	$4,016	$16,605
Fruitland Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	301 N Division St	Fruitland	21826	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 677-5171	445	36	12.3	58.9%	178 (40.0%)	130 (29.2%)	67 (15.1%)	18 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	50 (11.2%)								(n/a)										$18,256	$2,245	$16,011

Frequently Asked Questions about Pemberton Elementary

How many students attend Pemberton Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 506 students attended Pemberton Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Pemberton Elementary?

Students at Pemberton Elementary are 57% African American, 25% White, 8% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 3% Asian.

What district is Pemberton Elementary in?

Wicomico County Public Schools

What schools do graduates of Pemberton Elementary attend?

Students who attend Pemberton Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Salisbury Middle
High : James M. Bennett High

Is Pemberton Elementary a good school?

Pemberton Elementary ranks 613^th of 865 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Rate Pemberton 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.