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Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 21740


At a glance
8
Schools
4,316
Students
Top rankedEmma K. Doub Elementary173rd of 864 Maryland elementary schools
Biggest riser
Fountain Rock Elementary up 145 spots statewide this year
Smallest classes
Bester Elementary 11.3 students per teacher
SchoolDigger ratings
4★
3★
2★
1★
Summary:

This analysis examines eight elementary schools serving grades PK through 5 in zip code 21740 (Hagerstown, MD), all part of the Washington County Public Schools district, which holds a 3-star rating and ranks 10th out of 25 districts in Maryland.

The standout top performer is Emma K. Doub Elementary, which ranks in the 80th percentile (4-star) and boasts the highest English Language Arts proficiency (66.1%) and second-highest Math proficiency (47.9%) in the area, all while operating with the lowest per-student spending ($15,749). The most improved school is Fountain Rock Elementary, which jumped from a 2-star to a 4-star rating in two years and now has the highest Math proficiency (49.3%). Rockland Woods Elementary is a consistent strong performer with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (14.6%) and solid scores above state averages. In stark contrast, Bester Elementary faces significant challenges, ranking in the 16th percentile (1-star) with the lowest Math (13.6%) and ELA (25.3%) proficiency, the highest free/reduced lunch rate (84.69%), and the highest chronic absenteeism (44.3%). Other schools include Pangborn Elementary, Salem Avenue Elementary, Lincolnshire Elementary, and Jonathan Hager Elementary.

A key takeaway is that higher spending does not guarantee higher performance; the highest-spending schools (Bester at $22,906, Lincolnshire at $21,207) are among the lowest-performing, while the lowest-spending schools (Fountain Rock at $14,213, Emma K. Doub at $15,749) are top performers. There is also a strong link between attendance and achievement: the top three performers all have absenteeism rates at or below 24.5%, while the three lowest-performing schools all have rates above 29%. This data reveals a wide spectrum of performance and resources within a single zip code, with average Math proficiency at 30.2% and average ELA proficiency at 47.0% across the eight schools.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private




Cities Near Zip Code 21740

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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