Best Public Schools in Zip Code 21804

The nine schools in zip code 21804 (Salisbury, MD) are part of the Wicomico County Public Schools district, serving elementary through high school students in a community facing significant academic challenges, particularly in math and chronic absenteeism.

Parkside High stands out as the top-performing traditional high school, boasting the highest graduation rate (89.6%) and lowest dropout rate (8.1%). James M. Bennett High is the only school in the zip code to exceed the state average in English Language Arts (48.1%) and excels in advanced math, with Algebra II proficiency at 57.1% and Geometry at 47.3%. However, all three main high schools—James M. Bennett, Wicomico High, and Parkside High—struggle with Algebra I, where proficiency rates are in the single digits (1.9% to 4.1%). Wicomico Middle presents a paradox: its overall math proficiency is the lowest among non-alternative schools (10.8%), yet its 8th graders taking Algebra I achieve a 41.7% proficiency rate, nearly double the state average. Glen Avenue School defies expectations by having the highest poverty rate (82.38%) but the lowest chronic absenteeism (15.4%) in the area. The Wicomico County Evening High is a unique alternative program with high per-student spending ($30,127) and the worst outcomes in graduation and absenteeism, which is typical for its high-need population.

Elementary schools face a hidden crisis, with all four—Prince Street School, Beaver Run School, East Salisbury Elementary, and Glen Avenue School—scoring between 21.4% and 24.5% in ELA proficiency, meaning roughly three out of four students are not reading at grade level. Chronic absenteeism is a systemic issue, with all high schools exceeding the district average of 22.4%, particularly Wicomico High (36.2%) and James M. Bennett (31.3%). The data suggests that addressing the Algebra I bottleneck and early literacy deficits could unlock significant improvements across the district.