Summary:
This analysis examines five public elementary schools (PK-5) located in zip code 20603 (Waldorf, MD), all part of the Charles County Public Schools district, which serves a diverse community with a combined enrollment of approximately 3,512 students.
The standout school in this area is C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School, which is the clear academic leader with a 3-star rating and a math proficiency rate of 40.2%—more than double the district average and significantly higher than any other local school. Berry Elementary School is the most improved, jumping to the 58th percentile in state ranking and achieving the highest English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency (51.8%) and 5th-grade science scores (39.6%) in the zip code. In contrast, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School is the lowest-performing school, with a 1-star rating and a critical 5th-grade math proficiency rate of just 5%. William A. Diggs Elementary School and William B. Wade Elementary School fall in the middle, with Diggs showing the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (13.7%) and the lowest poverty rate (40.98%), which supports its solid mid-range performance.
A key takeaway is that spending does not equal performance: Barnhart has the highest spending per student ($19,356) and the best results, but Jenifer has the second-highest spending ($16,941) and the worst outcomes. Additionally, Barnhart defies the trend of high absenteeism (23.8%) and high poverty (60.54%) by still achieving top scores, suggesting effective in-school strategies. Overall, math proficiency is a district-wide weakness, with all schools except Barnhart falling below the state average of 27.1%, while Berry Elementary stands out as a success story with its strong upward trajectory in ELA and science.
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