Preston Elementary School

Q: Is Preston Elementary School a good school?

Preston Elementary School ranks 314 th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Preston Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Preston, Maryland, serving 406 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Caroline County Public Schools district, which is ranked 16 out of 25 in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Preston Elementary consistently outperforms the Caroline County Public Schools district and the state of Maryland in both Mathematics and English Language Arts proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, 52.2% of Preston Elementary students were proficient or better in MCAP/English Language Arts, compared to 45.5% for the district and 48.4% for the state. However, the school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (75.86%) compared to the surrounding Dorchester County Public Schools and Talbot County Public Schools districts, which have more diverse student populations. Additionally, Preston Elementary has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 47.45% to 60.1% over the past three school years, indicating a significant population of economically disadvantaged students.

Despite these challenges, Preston Elementary has maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years, ranking in the top half of Maryland elementary schools. The school's higher per-student spending of $18,326 in the 2020-2021 school year, compared to the state average of $15,200, may be a contributing factor to its consistent academic performance, which generally outperforms nearby schools like Maple Elementary School, Choptank Elementary School, and Denton Elementary School.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

225 Main St
Preston, MD 21655

(410) 479-2897

District: Caroline County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
314^th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,823

Students who attend Preston Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Colonel Richardson Middle School
High:	Colonel Richardson High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.0

Number of students: 406

Racial breakdown:

White:

75.9%

Hispanic:

9.1%

Two or more races:

7.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 60.1%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Preston Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Preston Elementary School ranks better than 63.4% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks first among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Caroline County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.83. (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 (75.9%), Hispanic (9.1%), two or more races (7.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 60.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Preston Elementary School is 14, which is the highest among 5 elementary schools in the Caroline County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Preston Elementary School employs 29 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Preston Elementary School is $17,823. 2 elementary schools in the Caroline County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Preston Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Caroline County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Caroline County Public Schools 16^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Preston Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Preston Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	29.99	613^th	803	23.7%
2005	24.47	639^th	805	20.6%
2006	45.22	483^rd	804	39.9%
2007	34.42	583^rd	818	28.7%
2008	78.47	156^th	838	81.4%
2009	81.23	107^th	850	87.4%
2010	73.50	221^st	855	74.2%
2011	58.97	396^th	853	53.6%
2012	58.76	410^th	857	52.2%
2013	50.30	460^th	847	45.7%
2014	58.09	422^nd	867	51.3%
2015	53.88	361^st	859	58.0%
2016	56.64	335^th	845	60.4%
2017	55.58	344^th	847	59.4%
2018	53.01	364^th	857	57.5%
2019	52.54	358^th	853	58.0%
2021	43.40	336^th	802	58.1%
2022	62.46	303^rd	862	64.8%
2023	53.27	349^th	855	59.2%
2024	58.83	314^th	859	63.4%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Preston Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	46.88	306^th	796	61.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Preston Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	45.16	321^st	788	59.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Preston Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	28.53	359^th	528	32.0%

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:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Preston Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	294	88	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	383
1990	317	81	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	399
1991	332	78	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	411
1992	251	67	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	318
1993	265	76	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	341
1994	280	70	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	351
1995	294	82	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	378
1996	294	82	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	378
1997	308	73	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	383
1998	306	88	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	399
1999	304	90	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	399
2000	320	81	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	407
2001	319	77	7	0	1	n/a	n/a	404
2002	312	76	5	0	4	n/a	n/a	397
2003	312	76	5	0	4	n/a	n/a	397
2004	310	67	7	0	4	n/a	n/a	388
2005	301	48	7	1	5	n/a	n/a	362
2006	325	47	4	3	4	n/a	n/a	383
2007	345	50	2	2	4	n/a	n/a	403
2008	359	47	2	10	3	n/a	n/a	421
2009	373	49	1	7	2	n/a	n/a	432
2010	371	61	3	2	1	n/a	n/a	438
2011	361	44	2	9	1	0	19	436
2012	357	44	2	10	0	0	22	435
2013	348	49	3	11	1	0	19	431
2014	335	32	4	9	1	0	21	402
2015	306	32	3	12	1	0	22	376
2016	312	31	2	13	1	0	32	391
2017	286	28	2	24	1	0	35	376
2018	298	34	2	29	1	0	31	395
2019	300	33	4	28	2	0	34	401
2020	299	36	2	27	1	0	38	403
2021	265	39	1	28	3	0	32	368
2022	311	30	0	34	3	0	33	411
2023	308	27	0	37	3	0	31	406

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 Preston Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	383	20.0	19.1	n/a
1990	399	20.0	19.9	23.8
1991	411	19.0	21.6	23.4
1992	318	19.0	16.7	29.2
1993	341	17.0	20.1	27.3
1994	351	20.0	17.5	27.4
1995	378	21.0	18.0	25.7
1996	378	21.0	18.0	25.7
1997	383	21.0	18.2	24
1998	399	20.5	19.5	26.1
1999	399	20.5	19.5	37.6
2000	407	21.5	18.9	36.6
2001	404	22.5	18.0	37.6
2002	397	21.5	18.5	39
2003	397	21.5	18.5	39
2004	388	23.0	16.9	42.3
2005	362	22.0	16.5	42.8
2006	383	24.0	16.0	41
2007	403	25.0	16.1	37.2
2008	421	25.0	16.8	37.5
2009	432	27.0	16.0	40
2010	438	28.0	15.6	45.4
2011	436	27.8	15.6	40.8
2012	435	26.8	16.2	45.7
2013	431	24.0	17.9	47.3
2014	402	24.0	16.7	37.3
2015	376	23.0	16.3	43.6
2016	391	25.0	15.6	47.6
2017	376	25.0	15.0	48.1
2018	395	27.0	14.6	47.8
2019	401	27.0	14.8	51.4
2020	403	29.0	13.8	47.9
2021	368	29.0	12.6	52.7
2022	411	29.0	14.1	47.4
2023	406	29.0	14.0	60.1

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 Preston Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	383	20.0	19.1	n/a
1990	399	20.0	19.9	23.8
1991	411	19.0	21.6	23.4
1992	318	19.0	16.7	29.2
1993	341	17.0	20.1	27.3
1994	351	20.0	17.5	27.4
1995	378	21.0	18.0	25.7
1996	378	21.0	18.0	25.7
1997	383	21.0	18.2	24
1998	399	20.5	19.5	26.1
1999	399	20.5	19.5	37.6
2000	407	21.5	18.9	36.6
2001	404	22.5	18.0	37.6
2002	397	21.5	18.5	39
2003	397	21.5	18.5	39
2004	388	23.0	16.9	42.3
2005	362	22.0	16.5	42.8
2006	383	24.0	16.0	41
2007	403	25.0	16.1	37.2
2008	421	25.0	16.8	37.5
2009	432	27.0	16.0	40
2010	438	28.0	15.6	45.4
2011	436	27.8	15.6	40.8
2012	435	26.8	16.2	45.7
2013	431	24.0	17.9	47.3
2014	402	24.0	16.7	37.3
2015	376	23.0	16.3	43.6
2016	391	25.0	15.6	47.6
2017	376	25.0	15.0	48.1
2018	395	27.0	14.6	47.8
2019	401	27.0	14.8	51.4
2020	403	29.0	13.8	47.9
2021	368	29.0	12.6	52.7
2022	411	29.0	14.1	47.4
2023	406	29.0	14.0	60.1

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 Preston Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,469 (10.1%)	$13,137 (89.9%)	$14,606
2020	$1,706 (11.2%)	$13,494 (88.8%)	$15,200
2021	$2,970 (16.2%)	$15,357 (83.8%)	$18,326
2022	$2,843 (17.4%)	$13,502 (82.6%)	$16,345
2023	$3,019 (16.9%)	$14,804 (83.1%)	$17,823

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Preston Elementary School

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 358^th of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 349^th of 855 Elementary schools	1.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	401	406	1.2%
African American	33	27	18.2%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	4	0	100%
Hispanic	28	37	32.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	300	308	2.7%
Two or More Races	34	31	8.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	51.4%	60.1%	8.7%

Schools Near Preston Elementary School

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
Preston Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	225 Main St	Preston	21655	Caroline County	Caroline County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 479-2897	406	29	14.0	60.1%	308 (75.9%)	27 (6.7%)	37 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.6%)	58.8	314^th of 859 public elementary schools	63.4%		53.3	349^th of 855 public elementary schools	59.2%	35	41.1	30.9	30.3	33.9	46.4	50.0	59.1	52.2	34.8	$17,823	$3,019	$14,804
Hurlock Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	301 Charles St.	Hurlock	21643	Dorchester County	Dorchester County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 943-3303	384	28	13.7	100.0%	139 (36.2%)	155 (40.4%)	45 (11.7%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	40 (10.4%)	30.5	533^rd of 859 public elementary schools	38.0%		27.1	570^th of 855 public elementary schools	33.3%	37	26.5	27.0	10.5	21.3	30.6	42.9	43.9	39.6	6.9	$22,372	$3,753	$18,619
Federalsburg Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	302 S University Ave	Federalsburg	21632	Caroline County	Caroline County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 479-2761	390	32	12.1	80.5%	135 (34.6%)	160 (41.0%)	22 (5.6%)	11 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (15.9%)	20.2	648^th of 859 public elementary schools	24.6%		35.7	500^th of 855 public elementary schools	41.5%	148	20.3	8.9	13.2	14.7	20.6	26.7	37.3	28.6	11.8	$21,400	$3,240	$18,160
Warwick Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	155 Main Street	Secretary	21664	Dorchester County	Dorchester County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 943-3588	347	22	15.7	100.0%	295 (85.0%)	21 (6.1%)	14 (4.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.6%)	73.5	211^th of 859 public elementary schools	75.4%		74.8	210^th of 855 public elementary schools	75.4%	1	53.4	52.2	31.5	45.6	60.3	71.7	59.3	63.3	31.5	$20,558	$2,086	$18,472
White Marsh Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4322 Lovers Ln	Trappe	21673	Talbot County	Talbot County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 476-3144	288	23	12.6	55.2%	183 (63.5%)	37 (12.8%)	36 (12.5%)	6 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (9.0%)	68	253^rd of 859 public elementary schools	70.5%		56.1	331^st of 855 public elementary schools	61.3%	78	63.2	61.5	37.5	53.8	48.6	76.9	45.0	56.9	17.5	$16,823	$1,845	$14,978
Easton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	307 Glenwood Ave	Easton	21601	Talbot County	Talbot County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 822-0686	1,078	90	11.9	76.3%	296 (27.5%)	211 (19.6%)	473 (43.9%)	31 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	67 (6.2%)	23.7	601^st of 859 public elementary schools	30.0%		20.7	648^th of 855 public elementary schools	24.2%	47	30.2	15.4	15.7	19.8	39.8	30.3	21.6	30.2	11.3	$17,629	$2,463	$15,166
Denton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	303 Sharp Rd	Denton	21629	Caroline County	Caroline County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 479-1660	627	45	13.9	61.2%	374 (59.6%)	115 (18.3%)	44 (7.0%)	13 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	80 (12.8%)	43	438^th of 859 public elementary schools	49.0%		40.6	453^rd of 855 public elementary schools	47.0%	15	38.7	26.8	23.5	29.5	50.0	43.3	36.0	42.9	21.8	$17,739	$3,287	$14,452
Chapel District Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11430 Cordova Rd	Cordova	21625	Talbot County	Talbot County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 822-2391	347	25	13.8	42.9%	272 (78.4%)	9 (2.6%)	37 (10.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (8.4%)	78	184^th of 859 public elementary schools	78.6%		75.2	204^th of 855 public elementary schools	76.1%	20	43.8	50.0	35.8	42.6	68.8	70.0	71.7	70.2	40.4	$16,864	$1,466	$15,399
Sandy Hill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1503 Glasgow Road	Cambridge	21613	Dorchester County	Dorchester County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 228-7978	374	31	12.0	100.0%	64 (17.1%)	233 (62.3%)	37 (9.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (10.4%)	11.3	802^nd of 859 public elementary schools	6.6%		12.4	778^th of 855 public elementary schools	9.0%	24	11.3			6.0	20.4	14.5	17.7	17.5	10.0	$23,567	$3,747	$19,820
Choptank Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1103 Mace's Lane	Cambridge	21613	Dorchester County	Dorchester County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 228-4950	375	22	17.0	100.0%	22 (5.9%)	282 (75.2%)	51 (13.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.3%)	7.1	846^th of 859 public elementary schools	1.5%		7.1	837^th of 855 public elementary schools	2.1%	9					6.4	21.7	11.3	13.6		$22,871	$3,832	$19,039

Frequently Asked Questions about Preston Elementary School

How many students attend Preston Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 406 students attended Preston Elementary School.

Is Preston Elementary School a good school?

Preston Elementary School ranks 314^th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Preston Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Preston Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Colonel Richardson Middle School
High : Colonel Richardson High School

What is the racial makeup of Preston Elementary School?

Students at Preston Elementary School are 76% White, 9% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 7% African American.

What district is Preston Elementary School in?

Caroline County Public Schools

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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.