Best Public Schools in Zip Code 21539

Zip code 21539 in Lonaconing, MD, is home to two public schools—George's Creek Elementary (PK-5) and Westmar Middle (6-8)—both part of the Allegany County Public Schools district, which holds a 3-star rating and ranks 12th out of 25 districts in Maryland. These schools serve a community with significant economic need, as reflected by high free/reduced lunch rates (69% at George's Creek and 64% at Westmar).

George's Creek Elementary stands out as the stronger performer, especially in math, where its overall proficiency of 37.5% far exceeds both the district (26.6%) and state (27.1%) averages. The school has shown a positive upward trend, climbing from the 34th percentile to the 56th percentile over three years. In contrast, Westmar Middle faces a severe math crisis: only 4.7% of its students are proficient in math, a catastrophic drop from the elementary level. For example, 5th graders at George's Creek score 16% proficient in math, but that number plummets to 3.5% in 6th grade at Westmar, and 8th grade math proficiency is 0%. This "middle school math cliff" is extreme and not explained by chronic absenteeism, which is high but similar at both schools (25.6% at George's Creek, 32.5% at Westmar, both below the district average of 33.6%).

Interestingly, Westmar Middle spends significantly more per student ($25,944) than George's Creek ($19,701), yet its academic outcomes are drastically worse, raising questions about resource allocation. English Language Arts is a relative strength for both schools, with George's Creek's 3rd graders (61.1%) and Westmar's 7th graders (56%) outperforming the state average (51.7%). A small bright spot at Westmar is Algebra I, where the 19% proficiency rate exceeds the district average of 13.8%, suggesting that accelerated students succeed while the majority in standard math tracks are left behind. For parents, the data clearly shows that elementary students in this area receive a solid foundation, but the transition to middle school presents a significant challenge, particularly in mathematics.