West Side Elementary

Q: Is West Side Elementary a good school?

West Side Elementary ranks 356 th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

West Side Elementary is a public elementary school in Cumberland, Maryland, serving 305 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Allegany County Public Schools district, which is ranked 13 out of 25 in Maryland and has a 3-star rating.

West Side Elementary has a higher percentage of White students (74.43%) compared to the state average, but a lower percentage of African American (7.21%) and Hispanic (1.31%) students. The school generally performs better than the Allegany County and Maryland averages in both Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) assessments, with 54% of students proficient or better in ELA compared to 50.7% for Allegany County and 48.4% for Maryland. However, West Side Elementary has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 56.44% to 68.85% over the past three school years, which is higher than the state average. The school also has a higher per-student spending of $17,317 and a lower student-teacher ratio ranging from 11.9 to 12.2, which may contribute to better student outcomes.

When compared to other nearby schools in the Allegany County district, West Side Elementary generally performs better than the district average in both Mathematics and ELA assessments, but lags behind some of the higher-performing schools in the area, such as Frost Elementary and Parkside Elementary. The school's performance on state assessments is relatively consistent across different student subgroups, suggesting it is effectively serving a diverse student population. However, the school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the past several years, indicating the need for a closer examination of factors contributing to these changes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

425 Paca St
Cumberland, MD 21502-2818

(301) 724-0340

District: Allegany County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
356^th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,980

Students who attend West Side Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Washington Middle
High:	Fort Hill High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.4

Number of students: 306

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.5%

Two or more races:

13.1%

African American:

8.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 70.9%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare West Side Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details West Side Elementary ranks better than 58.6% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 10^th among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Allegany County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.31. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (72.5%), two or more races (13.1%), African American (8.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 70.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Side Elementary is 12.4, which is the 4^th best among 14 elementary schools in the Allegany County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare West Side Elementary employs 24.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Side Elementary is $18,980, which is the 6^th highest among 14 elementary schools in the Allegany County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

West Side Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Allegany County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Allegany County Public Schools 13^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for West Side Elementary

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Rank History for all students at West Side Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	74.81	201^st	803	75.0%
2005	62.38	345^th	805	57.1%
2006	65.41	308^th	804	61.7%
2007	59.98	360^th	818	56.0%
2008	59.72	393^rd	838	53.1%
2009	63.62	348^th	850	59.1%
2010	50.64	491^st	855	42.6%
2011	30.15	656^th	853	23.1%
2012	45.68	528^th	857	38.4%
2013	56.37	401^st	847	52.7%
2014	67.22	315^th	867	63.7%
2015	34.90	523^rd	859	39.1%
2016	48.33	409^th	845	51.6%
2017	57.90	322^nd	847	62.0%
2018	69.27	258^th	857	69.9%
2019	54.84	343^rd	853	59.8%
2021	45.93	314^th	802	60.8%
2022	52.01	387^th	862	55.1%
2023	48.78	373^rd	855	56.4%
2024	52.31	356^th	859	58.6%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at West Side Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	43.04	269^th	546	50.7%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at West Side Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	43.33	338^th	796	57.5%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at West Side Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	45.68	317^th	788	59.8%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at West Side Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	34.11	312^th	528	40.9%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Maryland State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, May 29, 2014

The staff is open, caring, and concerned about the children. The Chinese Partial Immersion Program is an amazing experience! Close Quote

Enrollment information for West Side Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	519	46	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	567
1990	319	28	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	350
1991	316	23	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	340
1992	297	19	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	318
1993	290	15	3	0	2	n/a	n/a	310
1994	278	17	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	300
1995	403	31	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	437
1996	403	31	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	437
1997	381	28	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	415
1998	377	22	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	403
1999	344	22	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	370
2000	365	24	0	4	2	n/a	n/a	395
2001	325	26	0	5	2	n/a	n/a	358
2002	309	42	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	353
2003	309	42	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	353
2004	272	45	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	320
2005	275	43	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	319
2006	252	33	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	289
2007	251	29	6	2	4	n/a	n/a	292
2008	264	37	5	5	2	n/a	n/a	313
2009	244	33	2	6	4	n/a	n/a	289
2010	259	38	3	5	6	n/a	n/a	311
2011	281	28	3	6	6	1	17	342
2012	278	27	2	7	5	0	30	349
2013	298	21	2	5	2	0	34	362
2014	302	23	3	4	2	0	47	381
2015	317	13	4	5	2	0	58	399
2016	314	13	3	10	2	0	55	397
2017	314	16	3	10	1	0	52	396
2018	307	17	3	8	3	0	52	390
2019	322	17	3	11	2	0	50	405
2020	288	17	2	6	2	0	52	367
2021	240	22	3	6	1	0	47	319
2022	234	17	5	3	1	0	43	303
2023	227	22	5	4	4	0	43	305
2024	222	25	6	10	3	0	40	306

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at West Side Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	567	25.7	22.0	n/a
1990	350	15.3	22.8	39.4
1991	340	17.7	19.2	42.4
1992	318	17.8	17.8	39.6
1993	310	17.5	17.7	40.6
1994	300	17.7	16.9	50.3
1995	437	27.2	16.1	47.6
1996	437	27.2	16.1	47.6
1997	415	27.3	15.2	50.4
1998	403	25.6	15.7	53.3
1999	370	25.7	14.4	58.4
2000	395	24.7	16.0	66.6
2001	358	22.2	16.1	66.8
2002	353	26.1	13.5	62.3
2003	353	26.1	13.5	62.3
2004	320	26.1	12.3	65.6
2005	319	25.0	12.8	62.1
2006	289	25.0	11.6	54.7
2007	292	23.8	12.3	56.5
2008	313	20.7	15.1	62
2009	289	21.6	13.4	61.2
2010	311	19.9	15.5	66.9
2011	342	21.7	15.7	67.5
2012	349	20.8	16.7	78.5
2013	362	21.9	16.5	72.4
2014	381	22.9	16.6	72.2
2015	399	24.0	16.6	69.2
2016	397	23.0	17.2	66.2
2017	396	26.0	15.2	60.6
2018	390	25.0	15.6	57.9
2019	405	25.5	15.8	57.5
2020	367	26.0	14.1	58
2021	319	26.5	12.0	57.4
2022	303	25.4	11.9	56.4
2023	305	25.0	12.2	68.9
2024	306	24.5	12.4	70.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio West Side Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	567	25.7	22.0	n/a
1990	350	15.3	22.8	39.4
1991	340	17.7	19.2	42.4
1992	318	17.8	17.8	39.6
1993	310	17.5	17.7	40.6
1994	300	17.7	16.9	50.3
1995	437	27.2	16.1	47.6
1996	437	27.2	16.1	47.6
1997	415	27.3	15.2	50.4
1998	403	25.6	15.7	53.3
1999	370	25.7	14.4	58.4
2000	395	24.7	16.0	66.6
2001	358	22.2	16.1	66.8
2002	353	26.1	13.5	62.3
2003	353	26.1	13.5	62.3
2004	320	26.1	12.3	65.6
2005	319	25.0	12.8	62.1
2006	289	25.0	11.6	54.7
2007	292	23.8	12.3	56.5
2008	313	20.7	15.1	62
2009	289	21.6	13.4	61.2
2010	311	19.9	15.5	66.9
2011	342	21.7	15.7	67.5
2012	349	20.8	16.7	78.5
2013	362	21.9	16.5	72.4
2014	381	22.9	16.6	72.2
2015	399	24.0	16.6	69.2
2016	397	23.0	17.2	66.2
2017	396	26.0	15.2	60.6
2018	390	25.0	15.6	57.9
2019	405	25.5	15.8	57.5
2020	367	26.0	14.1	58
2021	319	26.5	12.0	57.4
2022	303	25.4	11.9	56.4
2023	305	25.0	12.2	68.9
2024	306	24.5	12.4	70.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for West Side Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,098 (7.4%)	$13,818 (92.6%)	$14,916
2020	$1,326 (9.1%)	$13,212 (90.9%)	$14,538
2021	$2,165 (12.5%)	$15,152 (87.5%)	$17,317
2022	$2,704 (14.9%)	$15,447 (85.1%)	$18,152
2023	$3,039 (16.0%)	$15,941 (84.0%)	$18,980

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Side Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 343^rd of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 373^rd of 855 Elementary schools	3.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	405	305	24.7%
African American	17	22	29.4%
American Indian	2	4	100%
Asian	3	5	66.7%
Hispanic	11	4	63.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	322	227	29.5%
Two or More Races	50	43	14%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	57.5%	68.9%	11.3%

Schools Near West Side Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAP Mathematics (2024)				MCAP English Language Arts (2024)				MCAP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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
West Side Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	425 Paca St	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 724-0340	306	25	12.4	70.9%	222 (72.5%)	25 (8.2%)	10 (3.3%)	6 (2.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (13.1%)	52.3	356^th of 859 public elementary schools	58.6%		48.8	373^rd of 855 public elementary schools	56.4%	17	26.5	29.8	28.3	28.3	36.0	64.9	59.3	54.0	26.4	$18,980	$3,039	$15,941
South Penn Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	500 E 2nd St	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 777-1755	512	47	10.9	68.9%	372 (72.7%)	44 (8.6%)	9 (1.8%)	6 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (15.6%)	22.4	616^th of 859 public elementary schools	28.3%		23.5	614^th of 855 public elementary schools	28.2%	2	25.4	15.8	15.7	18.7	27.0	39.3	21.7	28.2	13.3	$20,888	$3,451	$17,437
John Humbird Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	120 Mary St	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 724-8842	253	21	12.0	82.6%	169 (66.8%)	37 (14.6%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (16.6%)	32.1	514^th of 859 public elementary schools	40.2%		28.7	557^th of 855 public elementary schools	34.9%	43	38.9	23.7	11.4	24.8	50.0	39.5	25.7	38.5	5.7	$23,724	$3,208	$20,516
Northeast Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11001 Forest Ave Ne	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 724-3285	273	19	14.3	63.4%	228 (83.5%)	14 (5.1%)	7 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (8.8%)	67.1	260^th of 859 public elementary schools	69.7%		68.5	246^th of 855 public elementary schools	71.2%	14	57.5	53.8	36.8	49.6	55.0	69.2	44.7	56.4	18.4	$15,680	$1,531	$14,149
Cash Valley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10601 Cash Valley Rd Nw	Lavale	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 724-6632	274	25	10.9	63.1%	225 (82.1%)	17 (6.2%)	9 (3.3%)	3 (1.1%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	17 (6.2%)	64.4	279^th of 859 public elementary schools	67.5%		67.3	258^th of 855 public elementary schools	69.8%	21	16.2	48.7	73.5	45.5	29.7	53.8	82.4	54.5	41.2	$24,028	$4,064	$19,964
Parkside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	50 Parkside Blvd	Lavale	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 729-0085	218	17	13.2	55.5%	178 (81.7%)	12 (5.5%)	4 (1.8%)	5 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (8.7%)	82.8	145^th of 859 public elementary schools	83.1%		77.7	185^th of 855 public elementary schools	78.4%	40	54.3	60.5	47.2	54.1	71.4	76.3	61.1	69.7	32.4	$19,143	$3,007	$16,136
Cresaptown Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	13202 6th Ave	Cresaptown	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 729-0212	259	19	13.2	62.5%	223 (86.1%)	8 (3.1%)	7 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	20 (7.7%)	74.1	205^th of 859 public elementary schools	76.1%		63.9	281^st of 855 public elementary schools	67.1%	76	66.7	31.8	47.6	46.6	66.7	61.4	56.1	60.9	36.6	$17,376	$1,904	$15,472
Bel Air Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	14401 Barton Blvd	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 729-2992	229	17	13.4	55.0%	213 (93.0%)	3 (1.3%)	2 (0.9%)	4 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.1%)	70	241^st of 859 public elementary schools	71.9%		71.1	225^th of 855 public elementary schools	73.7%	16	60.5	31.3	22.9	39.0	59.0	63.3	62.9	61.5	42.9	$19,715	$1,720	$17,995
Mt. Savage Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	13201 New School Rd Nw	Mount Savage	21545	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(301) 264-3220	222	16	13.8	62.6%	202 (91.0%)	3 (1.4%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.8%)	55.9	330^th of 859 public elementary schools	61.6%		56.2	330^th of 855 public elementary schools	61.4%		55.3	34.2	18.8	37.0	65.8	50.0	43.8	53.7	19.4	$16,800	$3,450	$13,350
Beall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3 E College Ave	Frostburg	21532	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 689-3636	413	32	12.7	59.8%	359 (86.9%)	6 (1.5%)	9 (2.2%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.7%)	71.8	228^th of 859 public elementary schools	73.5%		58.5	309^th of 855 public elementary schools	63.9%	81	49.2	53.7	50.0	51.1	47.5	67.2	55.6	57.2	25.9	$16,889	$1,812	$15,077

Frequently Asked Questions about West Side Elementary

What district is West Side Elementary in?

Allegany County Public Schools

How many students attend West Side Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 306 students attended West Side Elementary.

Is West Side Elementary a good school?

West Side Elementary ranks 356^th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of West Side Elementary attend?

Students who attend West Side Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Washington Middle
High : Fort Hill High

What is the racial makeup of West Side Elementary?

Students at West Side Elementary are 73% White, 13% Two or more races, 8% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Asian.

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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.