Summary:
The two public schools serving zip code 21750 in Hancock, Maryland, part of Washington County Public Schools, serve a combined 432 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in a small, rural, high-poverty community.
Hancock Elementary (PK-5) is a solid, middle-of-the-pack school with a 3-star rating, showing a slight upward trend. Its standout feature is a strong foundation in early math, with 3rd graders scoring 53.8% proficiency—well above the district and state averages. However, this strength does not carry into 4th and 5th grades, where math scores drop sharply. In contrast, Hancock Middle Senior High (6-12) is a 2-star school with a declining ranking. It is an "ELA Powerhouse," with English Language Arts proficiency (60.7%) significantly exceeding state averages, but it struggles severely in math (14.6% proficient). The high school also faces a chronic absenteeism crisis (35.1% of students), which correlates with a below-average graduation rate (85%) and a high dropout rate (10%).
The most critical takeaway is the "ELA vs. Math" paradox between the two schools. While the elementary school builds strong early math skills, the middle/high school excels in reading but falters in math, suggesting a disconnect in curriculum or instructional focus between the levels. Despite very high per-student spending (nearly $24,000 at the high school) and low student-teacher ratios (around 11:1), the high school's math performance is abysmal, indicating that money alone is not solving the problem. Addressing the chronic absenteeism crisis at the high school would likely be the single most impactful intervention for improving its overall outcomes.
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