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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 21783

At a glance

Schools

1,649

Students

Top rankedSmithsburg Middle36^th of 339 Maryland middle schools

Summary:

The three public schools serving zip code 21783 in Smithsburg, Maryland—Smithsburg High, Smithsburg Middle, and Smithsburg Elementary—form a complete K-12 pipeline within the Washington County Public Schools district, serving a total of 1,649 students.

Smithsburg Middle is the clear standout, consistently ranking in the top 11% of Maryland middle schools and earning 4- or 5-star ratings over the past three years. Its academic performance is exceptional, with 46.1% proficiency in Math and 70.8% in ELA, both well above the district averages of 29.3% and 55%, respectively. The school’s Algebra I program is particularly remarkable, with nearly all students (97.8%) scoring proficient, compared to just 21.3% statewide. This is especially impressive given that the middle school serves the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (46.39%) among the three schools, yet it also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (16.0%) and the smallest student-teacher ratio (15.5). In contrast, Smithsburg High shows a stark divide: it excels in ELA with 75.3% proficiency but struggles in Math at just 20.8%, below the district average. The high school has rebounded from a 2-star rating two years ago to a 4-star rating now, though its chronic absenteeism rate of 25.0% is nearly double that of the elementary school. Smithsburg Elementary provides a stable foundation with consistent 3-star ratings, performing slightly above the district in Math (35.4%) but below in ELA (46.3%).

A key takeaway is that the feeder pattern is not linear: the average elementary school feeds into a top-tier middle school, which then feeds into a high school with subject-specific strengths and weaknesses. All three schools have chronic absenteeism rates well below the district average of 29.0%, indicating strong community engagement. Spending per student increases with grade level, from $14,534 at the elementary to $17,963 at the high school, but the middle school’s lower spending and higher performance suggest it is a powerful "value-add" institution.

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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 Algebra I (2026)	MCAP Geometry (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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	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 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th 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 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	MCAP Science 5th Grade	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Smithsburg High	Public	9-12	66 N Main St	Smithsburg	21783	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8337	733	41	17.9	44.1%	537 (73.3%)	61 (8.3%)	76 (10.4%)	15 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (6.0%)	53.2	61^st of 227 public high schools	73.1%		58.8	43^rd of 220 public high schools	80.5%	18							20.8							75.3	75.3	15.6	46.2			$17,963	$2,093	$15,870
Smithsburg Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	67 N Main St	Smithsburg	21783	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8329	362	22	16.7	42.8%	284 (78.5%)	16 (4.4%)	39 (10.8%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.0%)	54.6	368^th of 864 public elementary schools	57.4%		59.5	339^th of 865 public elementary schools	60.8%	29	37.5	38.3	30.5				35.4	48.2	45.0	45.8					46.3			43.1		$14,534	$795	$13,740
Smithsburg Middle	Public	6-8	68 N Main St	Smithsburg	21783	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8353	554	36	15.5	46.4%	415 (74.9%)	39 (7.0%)	61 (11.0%)	9 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.2%)	88.2	36^th of 339 public middle schools	89.4%		90.8	34^th of 337 public middle schools	89.9%	2				32.3	42.6	51.2	46.1				61.1	70.2	80.8		70.8	97.8			50.3	$16,462	$1,005	$15,457

Cities Near Zip Code 21783

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Myersville	2.83 mi	2	13^th
Smithsburg	4.23 mi	3	72^nd
Hagerstown	5.76 mi	25	148^th
Sabillasville	6.15 mi	1	155^th
Thurmont	6.52 mi	5	165^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.