Summary:
Zip code 21034 is home to a single school, Darlington Elementary, a small rural school serving grades Kindergarten through 5th with just 96 students in the Harford County Public Schools district.
Darlington Elementary is a standout performer, consistently earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past three school years. Despite 42.71% of its students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school dramatically outperforms both district and state averages in every tested subject. For the 2025-2026 school year, math proficiency was 44.7% (compared to the district's 28.4% and state's 27.1%), English Language Arts proficiency reached 70.2% (versus 61.1% district and 51.7% state), and 5th-grade science proficiency hit 46.2% (compared to 39.8% district and 32.4% state). The school also boasts an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 8.7:1, allowing for significant individualized attention. Its per-student spending of $42,650 is extremely high, likely due to fixed costs spread across a tiny student body, but it correlates with a resource-rich environment that yields excellent results.
One interesting finding is a slight dip in math proficiency as students progress through grade levels, with 3rd graders scoring 58.3% proficient, 4th graders 45.5%, and 5th graders 30.8%, suggesting a need to focus on advanced concepts in upper grades. However, the school has shown remarkable resilience against the "COVID slide," with math proficiency actually increasing from 44.7% in 2025-2026 to 61% in the previous year. Chronic absenteeism is slightly better than the district average at 17.3%. Overall, Darlington Elementary is a hidden gem that delivers exceptional academic results through small class sizes, high investment, and effective instruction.
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