Summary:
Zip code 21842 is home to a single school, Ocean City Elementary, which serves grades PK through 4 and is part of the top-ranked Worcester County Public Schools district in Maryland. This school stands out for its exceptional academic performance, consistently ranking in the top 10-15% of all Maryland elementary schools over the past three years, despite serving a student body where 37.81% qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Key metrics reveal a school that significantly outperforms state averages. In the 2025-2026 school year, 70.2% of students were proficient in Mathematics compared to the state average of 27.1%, and 74% were proficient in English Language Arts versus the state's 51.7%. The school also boasts a low student-teacher ratio of 11.7:1 and high per-student spending of $21,516, which correlates with its strong outcomes. However, a notable "math cliff" exists between 3rd and 4th grade, with math proficiency dropping from 86.5% to 57.8%, falling below the district average of 59.1% for 4th grade.
While the school's state ranking has slightly declined from the 98th percentile to the 91st percentile over recent years, it remains a top-tier performer. Chronic absenteeism is at 16.6%, slightly below the district rate. Overall, Ocean City Elementary provides a high-quality, well-funded education with small class sizes, though the drop in 4th-grade math proficiency is an area for parents to monitor as their children advance.
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