Summary:
In zip code 21111, there is a single middle school, Hereford Middle, serving grades 6 through 8 in the Monkton area, which is part of the Baltimore County Public Schools district.
Hereford Middle is a high-performing school with a 4-star rating, ranking in the 86th percentile of Maryland middle schools. It excels in English Language Arts, with 80% of students proficient—far exceeding the district average of 46.1% and the state average of 51.7%. Science scores are also strong, with 62.7% of 8th graders proficient compared to 26.4% in the district. The school has a low chronic absenteeism rate of 9.6% (district: 25.6%) and a very low percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch (13.36%), indicating a relatively advantaged student body. However, math proficiency is a notable weakness, with only 29.4% of all students proficient, just slightly above the state average of 27.1%. This is especially pronounced in 7th grade, where only 9.9% of students are proficient in math, suggesting a specific instructional challenge at that grade level.
Despite its overall strength, Hereford Middle has seen a slight but consistent decline in its state ranking over the past three years, dropping from the 93rd percentile (5 stars) to the 86th percentile (4 stars). The school spends $17,471 per student, which appears to yield strong results in most subjects except math. Interestingly, students in advanced math courses perform very well—32.5% are proficient in Algebra I and 37.5% in Geometry—suggesting a two-tiered math system where accelerated students thrive while the general population struggles. This math paradox is the school's most significant area for improvement, especially given its otherwise stellar academic profile.
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