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Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 21742

At a glance

Schools

2,533

Students

Top rankedFountaindale Elementary196^th of 865 Maryland elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Potomac Heights Elementary up 47 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Ruth Ann Monroe Primary 12.8 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

1 school without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

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Summary:

This analysis examines six elementary schools in the 21742 zip code of Hagerstown, Maryland, all part of the Washington County Public Schools district, serving grades Pre-K through 5th, with Ruth Ann Monroe Primary (PK-2) feeding into Eastern Elementary (3-5).

The standout school is Fountaindale Elementary, which ranks 196th in Maryland (77th percentile) and significantly outperforms district averages in math (47.9% proficient vs. 29.3%) and ELA (63.6% vs. 55.0%). In contrast, Eastern Elementary is the lowest performer, ranking 570th, with the highest economic need (74.49% free/reduced lunch) and the highest per-student spending ($19,929), yet the lowest test scores. Old Forge Elementary boasts the best attendance (12.5% chronic absenteeism) and strong academics, while Potomac Heights Elementary is the most improved, jumping from the 47th to 65th percentile in two years. Paramount Elementary also exceeds district math and ELA averages.

A key takeaway is that higher spending does not guarantee success, as Eastern Elementary spends the most but achieves the least, while Fountaindale Elementary spends less and excels. Attendance is a powerful predictor: the three schools with the lowest absenteeism—Old Forge, Paramount, and Fountaindale—are the top performers, while the feeder pair of Ruth Ann Monroe Primary and Eastern Elementary, both on Yale Drive, have the highest absenteeism and economic need, suggesting systemic community challenges. Potomac Heights Elementary shows that targeted improvements can yield results, making it a school to watch.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAP Mathematics (2026)				MCAP English Language Arts (2026)				MCAP Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Eastern Elementary	Public	3-5	1320 Yale Dr	Hagerstown	21742	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 766-8122	439	33	13.4	74.5%	107 (24.4%)	151 (34.4%)	104 (23.7%)	15 (3.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (13.9%)	30.8	571^st of 865 public elementary schools	34.0%		31.1	551^st of 865 public elementary schools	36.3%	20	30.9	18.8	15.2	21.8	43.9	31.2	37.9	37.7	22.0	$19,929	$3,286	$16,644
Paramount Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	19410 Longmeadow Rd	Hagerstown	21742	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8289	397	26	15.0	49.4%	217 (54.7%)	75 (18.9%)	62 (15.6%)	13 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.6%)	71	255^th of 865 public elementary schools	70.5%		70.3	254^th of 865 public elementary schools	70.6%	1	44.6	46.8	34.9	42.0	60.7	62.9	57.1	60.2	43.8	$16,005	$982	$15,023
Fountaindale Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	901 Northern Ave	Hagerstown	21742	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 766-8156	413	27	15.2	56.9%	192 (46.5%)	71 (17.2%)	83 (20.1%)	17 (4.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (11.9%)	78.1	196^th of 865 public elementary schools	77.3%		74.9	217^th of 865 public elementary schools	74.9%	21	53.1	40.5	50.0	47.9	67.5	63.0	59.0	63.6	55.0	$14,992	$861	$14,131
Old Forge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	21615 Old Forge Rd	Hagerstown	21742	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8273	354	23	15.3	41.5%	291 (82.2%)	8 (2.3%)	35 (9.9%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.2%)	66.3	282^nd of 865 public elementary schools	67.4%		73.8	223^rd of 865 public elementary schools	74.2%	59	38.6	41.2	44.8	41.6	56.1	41.2	65.5	54.8	46.6	$15,338	$842	$14,496
Potomac Heights Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	301 E Magnolia Ave	Hagerstown	21742	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8305	351	21	16.6	66.4%	137 (39.0%)	80 (22.8%)	73 (20.8%)	10 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (14.5%)	61.6	306^th of 865 public elementary schools	64.6%		57.8	353^rd of 865 public elementary schools	59.2%	47	43.4	37.8	26.9	36.0	49.1	54.5	57.7	53.7	46.2	$14,275	$821	$13,455
Ruth Ann Monroe Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	1311 Yale Drive	Hagerstown	21742	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 766-8668	579	45	12.8	69.9%	139 (24.0%)	168 (29.0%)	151 (26.1%)	26 (4.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	93 (16.1%)								(n/a)										$18,975	$3,442	$15,533

Cities Near Zip Code 21742

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Hagerstown	0.5 mi	25	140^th
Maugansville	2.84 mi	1	179^th
Williamsport	4.41 mi	4	149^th
Smithsburg	7.08 mi	3	80^th
Boonsboro	8.1 mi	4	54^th

See the top MD Maryland cities

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.