Summary:
In zip code 21620, covering Chestertown, Maryland, there is a single elementary school, H. H. Garnett Elementary, which serves grades PK through 5 and is part of the Kent County Public Schools district.
H. H. Garnett Elementary stands out as a high-performing school within its district, consistently outperforming Kent County Public Schools in both Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA). The school has shown a clear upward trend in its state ranking, moving from the 48th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 58th percentile in 2025-2026. A key strength is its low chronic absenteeism rate of 20.3%, which is significantly better than the district's 33.1% rate. The school serves a student body where nearly 75% are economically disadvantaged, yet it achieves ELA proficiency (51.9%) nearly matching the state average. However, Mathematics remains a relative weakness, with overall proficiency (29.9%) lagging behind the state average, particularly in 5th grade.
One of the most remarkable findings is the dramatic improvement in 5th Grade Science scores, which jumped from just 11.3% proficiency in 2024-2025 to 46.8% in 2025-2026—a 35.5 percentage point increase that far exceeds both district and state averages. This suggests a significant change in curriculum or instruction. With a student-teacher ratio of 11.9:1 and spending of $22,018 per student, the school appears to invest heavily in its students. Overall, H. H. Garnett Elementary is a bright spot in a low-performing district, demonstrating that effective internal efforts can overcome broader challenges.
Thank you for your feedback!