Summary:
The three public schools in zip code 21632 (Federalsburg, MD) are all part of the Caroline County Public Schools district and form a complete educational pipeline from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, serving a community with a high level of economic disadvantage.
Colonel Richardson High School presents a striking paradox: it boasts a strong 91.3% graduation rate and excellent English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency (67.9%), yet its math proficiency is critically low at just 5.5%. This suggests the school's support systems keep students on track to graduate, but math instruction is a major weakness. In contrast, Colonel Richardson Middle School is the academic anchor, consistently earning a 3-star rating and excelling in advanced math—its 8th-grade Algebra I proficiency rates (52-68%) are three to four times higher than the state average, even as overall math scores remain low. Federalsburg Elementary School faces the greatest challenges, with the highest poverty rate (81.2%) and the lowest academic outcomes, despite having the highest per-student spending ($22,995).
Key takeaways for parents include a systemic "math crisis" that worsens from elementary (16.5% proficient) to high school (5.5% proficient), while ELA performance is a relative strength at the secondary level. Chronic absenteeism is a significant issue across all schools, hovering around 26-29%. The middle school is a bright spot for advanced learners, but the elementary school's struggles highlight that high spending alone cannot overcome the deep-seated challenges of poverty. Overall, the district's mid-tier ranking (15th out of 25 in Maryland) reflects a mixed picture of isolated successes and significant academic hurdles.
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