Summary:
Zip code 21635 in Galena, Maryland, is home to a single elementary school, Galena Elementary School, which serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade with a total enrollment of 309 students. As part of the Kent County Public Schools district—which ranks 19th out of 25 districts in the state—this school faces significant academic challenges despite notable financial investment.
Galena Elementary School presents a striking paradox: it spends a very high $22,401 per student, yet its academic outcomes are among the lowest in Maryland. Overall proficiency rates for the 2025-2026 school year are just 15.7% in Mathematics and 36.3% in English Language Arts (ELA), both well below state averages of 27.1% and 51.7%, respectively. A particularly concerning trend is the sharp decline in 5th grade performance, where only 5.4% of students are proficient in Math—a dramatic drop from 21.7% in 4th grade. However, there is a bright spot in 4th grade ELA, where 44.4% of students are proficient, nearly matching the state average of 48.6%. The school’s state ranking has improved slightly over three years, moving from the 23rd percentile to the 30th percentile, but it still remains in the bottom third of all Maryland elementary schools.
Chronic absenteeism affects 23.1% of students, which is lower than the district average of 33.1% but still high enough to likely impact learning. With a low student-teacher ratio of 11.7, the school has the potential for more individualized attention, but this has not yet translated into higher test scores. The majority of students (58.58%) qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a high level of economic need. For parents considering this area, Galena Elementary School offers small class sizes and significant per-pupil spending, but faces persistent academic struggles that require focused intervention, particularly in mathematics and for older elementary students.
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