South Carroll High

Q: Is South Carroll High a good school?

South Carroll High ranks 25 th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

South Carroll High is a public high school serving 921 students in grades 9-12 in Sykesville, Maryland, part of the highly-ranked Carroll County Public Schools district. This well-resourced school stands out for its consistently strong academic performance, outpacing both the district and state averages on key test score metrics.

South Carroll High has a significantly higher percentage of white students (81.22%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 67.47% to 78.57% white. The school also has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (19.44%) than surrounding schools, suggesting a higher socioeconomic status of the student population. This may contribute to the school's impressive test scores, with 76.8% of 10th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 70% for the district and 55.3% for the state.

When compared to other high schools in the area, such as Linganore High, Francis Scott Key High, and Winters Mill High, South Carroll High stands out as a consistently high-performing institution, earning 4 or 5 stars from SchoolDigger and ranking as high as 4th out of 197 Maryland high schools in the 2017-2018 school year. This level of academic excellence, combined with the school's higher spending per student, suggests that South Carroll High is providing a quality education to its students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1300 West Old Liberty Road
Sykesville, MD 21784-9329

(410) 751-3575

District: Carroll County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
25^th of 146 Maryland High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,005

Feeder schools for South Carroll High:

Elementary:	Mount Airy Elementary
	Parr's Ridge Elementary
	Winfield Elementary
Middle:	Mount Airy Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 17.0

Number of students: 935

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.4%

Hispanic:

11.8%

African American:

3.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 19.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details South Carroll High ranks better than 82.9% of high schools in Maryland. It also ranks 2^nd among 7 ranked high schools in the Carroll County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.06. (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 (79.4%), Hispanic (11.8%), Asian (3.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 19.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Carroll High is 17. 5 high schools in the Carroll County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare South Carroll High employs 54.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Carroll High is $17,005, which is the 2^nd highest among 7 high schools in the Carroll County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

South Carroll High was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks South Carroll High 25^th of 146 Maryland public high schools. (See South Carroll High in the ranking list.)

Carroll County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Carroll County Public Schools 1^st of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for South Carroll High

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	57.66	34^th	201	83.1%
2005	66.19	40^th	204	80.4%
2006	75.07	27^th	204	86.8%
2007	68.71	53^rd	209	74.6%
2008	79.96	29^th	214	86.4%
2009	79.10	32^nd	213	85.0%
2010	78.39	41^st	220	81.4%
2011	74.52	45^th	183	75.4%
2012	74.36	51^st	187	72.7%
2013	67.95	77^th	185	58.4%
2014	79.04	45^th	231	80.5%
2015	76.45	18^th	233	92.3%
2016	79.54	17^th	233	92.7%
2017	78.02	18^th	180	90.0%
2018	90.30	4^th	197	98.0%
2019	64.71	35^th	138	74.6%
2022	48.91	74^th	225	67.1%
2023	43.75	73^rd	127	42.5%
2024	63.06	25^th	146	82.9%

See the entire list of Maryland High School Rankings!

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

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for South Carroll High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	1216	22	6	4	1	n/a	n/a	2	1251
1990	1200	17	5	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	1229
1991	1173	14	4	5	2	n/a	n/a	-1	1197
1992	1206	15	3	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	1234
1993	1246	21	5	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	1284
1994	1231	16	5	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	1258
1995	1286	24	6	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	1328
1996	1286	24	6	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	1328
1997	1361	22	9	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	1405
1998	1418	22	10	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	1464
1999	1441	28	11	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	1499
2000	1468	27	19	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	1533
2001	1493	26	21	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	1555
2002	1171	28	23	13	2	n/a	n/a	0	1237
2003	1171	28	23	13	2	n/a	n/a	0	1237
2004	1078	27	14	18	2	n/a	n/a	0	1139
2005	1066	26	15	20	3	n/a	n/a	0	1130
2006	1117	29	18	27	3	n/a	n/a	0	1194
2007	1088	33	19	23	5	n/a	n/a	0	1168
2008	1077	33	18	18	5	n/a	n/a	0	1151
2009	1063	31	17	19	2	n/a	n/a	0	1132
2010	1041	24	13	20	2	n/a	n/a	0	1100
2011	1042	16	16	25	1	0	14	0	1114
2012	1024	15	14	35	1	0	15	0	1104
2013	1004	19	15	38	1	0	10	0	1087
2014	993	25	22	42	1	0	8	0	1091
2015	959	21	21	54	2	1	13	0	1071
2016	919	20	19	54	3	1	15	0	1031
2017	928	22	22	61	3	0	17	0	1053
2018	915	22	19	68	5	0	19	0	1048
2019	899	19	18	74	3	0	18	0	1031
2020	881	18	22	68	4	1	17	0	1011
2021	842	15	23	78	3	1	22	0	984
2022	771	20	25	81	3	1	21	0	922
2023	748	24	29	94	5	1	20	0	921
2024	742	29	29	110	4	3	17	1	935

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 South Carroll High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1251	73.0	17.1	n/a
1990	1229	69.5	17.6	0.4
1991	1197	69.5	17.2	0.2
1992	1234	71.5	17.2	1.2
1993	1284	74.9	17.1	1.2
1994	1258	74.8	16.8	2
1995	1328	74.8	17.8	1.9
1996	1328	74.8	17.8	1.9
1997	1405	74.8	18.8	1.9
1998	1464	72.0	20.3	2.7
1999	1499	72.0	20.8	3.3
2000	1533	80.0	19.2	2.4
2001	1555	79.5	19.6	2.7
2002	1237	73.0	16.9	3.6
2003	1237	73.0	16.9	3.6
2004	1139	68.0	16.8	3.5
2005	1130	67.0	16.9	3.7
2006	1194	70.0	17.1	3.8
2007	1168	69.5	16.8	4.3
2008	1151	70.9	16.2	4.1
2009	1132	68.0	16.6	4.4
2010	1100	64.6	17.0	6.1
2011	1114	63.8	17.4	7.1
2012	1104	63.5	17.3	8.3
2013	1087	60.6	17.9	8.3
2014	1091	62.4	17.4	7.3
2015	1071	62.0	17.2	9.2
2016	1031	62.0	16.6	7.8
2017	1053	58.6	17.9	8.5
2018	1048	61.6	16.9	8.2
2019	1031	58.0	17.7	9.7
2020	1011	57.0	17.7	9.6
2021	984	59.0	16.6	12
2022	922	56.0	16.4	14.2
2023	921	57.0	16.1	19.4
2024	935	54.8	17.0	19.8

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 South Carroll High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1251	73.0	17.1	n/a
1990	1229	69.5	17.6	0.4
1991	1197	69.5	17.2	0.2
1992	1234	71.5	17.2	1.2
1993	1284	74.9	17.1	1.2
1994	1258	74.8	16.8	2
1995	1328	74.8	17.8	1.9
1996	1328	74.8	17.8	1.9
1997	1405	74.8	18.8	1.9
1998	1464	72.0	20.3	2.7
1999	1499	72.0	20.8	3.3
2000	1533	80.0	19.2	2.4
2001	1555	79.5	19.6	2.7
2002	1237	73.0	16.9	3.6
2003	1237	73.0	16.9	3.6
2004	1139	68.0	16.8	3.5
2005	1130	67.0	16.9	3.7
2006	1194	70.0	17.1	3.8
2007	1168	69.5	16.8	4.3
2008	1151	70.9	16.2	4.1
2009	1132	68.0	16.6	4.4
2010	1100	64.6	17.0	6.1
2011	1114	63.8	17.4	7.1
2012	1104	63.5	17.3	8.3
2013	1087	60.6	17.9	8.3
2014	1091	62.4	17.4	7.3
2015	1071	62.0	17.2	9.2
2016	1031	62.0	16.6	7.8
2017	1053	58.6	17.9	8.5
2018	1048	61.6	16.9	8.2
2019	1031	58.0	17.7	9.7
2020	1011	57.0	17.7	9.6
2021	984	59.0	16.6	12
2022	922	56.0	16.4	14.2
2023	921	57.0	16.1	19.4
2024	935	54.8	17.0	19.8

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 South Carroll High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$359 (2.7%)	$12,796 (97.3%)	$13,155
2020	$458 (3.3%)	$13,253 (96.7%)	$13,710
2021	$1,078 (7.1%)	$14,037 (92.9%)	$15,115
2022	$1,897 (12.1%)	$13,754 (87.9%)	$15,651
2023	$687 (4.0%)	$16,317 (96.0%)	$17,005

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Carroll High

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 35^th of 138 High schools	Ranks 73^rd of 127 High schools	32.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1031	921	10.7%
African American	19	24	26.3%
American Indian	3	5	66.7%
Asian	18	29	61.1%
Hispanic	74	94	27%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	899	748	16.8%
Two or More Races	18	20	11.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	9.7%	19.4%	9.7%

Schools Near South Carroll High

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 Algebra I (2024)	MCAP Algebra II (2024)	MCAP Geometry (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 All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Algebra II End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Carroll High	Public	9-12	1300 West Old Liberty Road	Sykesville	21784	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 751-3575	935	55	17.0	19.8%	742 (79.4%)	29 (3.1%)	110 (11.8%)	29 (3.1%)	4 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	17 (1.8%)	63.1	25^th of 146 public high schools	82.9%		43.7	73^rd of 127 public high schools	42.5%	48	31.1	76.8	76.8	19.2	44.9	64.3	$17,005	$687	$16,317
Century High	Public	9-12	355 Ronsdale Road	Sykesville	21784	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 386-4400	1,083	61	17.7	16.9%	838 (77.4%)	57 (5.3%)	61 (5.6%)	78 (7.2%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	42 (3.9%)	64.5	24^th of 146 public high schools	83.6%					(n/a)	34.8	73.3	73.3	12.3	47.6	51.0	$14,777	$506	$14,270
Liberty High	Public	9-12	5855 Bartholow Road	Sykesville	21784	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 751-3560	1,000	59	16.9	13.1%	757 (75.7%)	72 (7.2%)	59 (5.9%)	72 (7.2%)	4 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	29 (2.9%)	60	32^nd of 146 public high schools	78.1%		64.1	24^th of 127 public high schools	81.1%	8	30.0	74.5	74.5	16.1	40.6	49.5	$15,444	$490	$14,954
Gateway School	Public	9-12	45 Kate Wagner Road	Westminster	21157	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 751-3691	81	18	4.4	64.2%	58 (71.6%)	6 (7.4%)	9 (11.1%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.9%)								(n/a)		18.8	18.8				$55,147	$1,693	$53,454
Flexible Student Support	Public	9-12	45 Kate Wagner Road	Westminster	21157	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 751-3691	35			37.1%	25 (71.4%)	4 (11.4%)	4 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.7%)								(n/a)							$3,115	$310	$2,805
Carroll County Career & Technology Center	Public	11-12	1229 Washington Road	Westminster	21157	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 751-3669	0	41	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Westminster High	Public	9-12	1225 Washington Road	Westminster	21157	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 751-3630	1,480	87	16.9	23.9%	1,123 (75.9%)	89 (6.0%)	140 (9.5%)	60 (4.1%)	2 (0.1%)	5 (0.3%)	56 (3.8%)	51.6	51^st of 146 public high schools	65.1%		53.4	48^th of 127 public high schools	62.2%	3	19.7	73.0	73.0	14.3	20.0	27.7	$16,078	$613	$15,465
Post Secondary Program	Public	12	495 South Center Street	Westminster	21157	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 751-3620	40	4	10.0	27.5%	31 (77.5%)	3 (7.5%)	2 (5.0%)	2 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.0%)								(n/a)							$5,882	$794	$5,088
Winters Mill High	Public	9-12	560 Gorsuch Road	Westminster	21157	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 386-1500	1,142	67	17.0	35.1%	753 (65.9%)	103 (9.0%)	196 (17.2%)	37 (3.2%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (4.1%)	49.7	58^th of 146 public high schools	60.3%		45.8	69^th of 127 public high schools	45.7%	11	19.8	60.6	60.6	19.8			$15,973	$613	$15,360
Marriotts Ridge High	Public	9-12	12100 Woodford Dr	Marriottsville	21104	Carroll County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-5568	1,701	100	17.0	14.5%	565 (33.2%)	198 (11.6%)	71 (4.2%)	781 (45.9%)	5 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	78 (4.6%)	74.4	11^th of 146 public high schools	92.5%		73.1	12^th of 127 public high schools	90.6%	1	39.0	85.0	85.0	28.3	43.1		$16,125	$679	$15,446

Frequently Asked Questions about South Carroll High

Is South Carroll High a good school?

South Carroll High ranks 25^th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of South Carroll High?

Students at South Carroll High are 79% White, 12% Hispanic, 3% African American, 3% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend South Carroll High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 935 students attended South Carroll High.

What schools feed into South Carroll High?

South Carroll High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Mount Airy Elementary
Elementary : Parr's Ridge Elementary
Elementary : Winfield Elementary
Middle : Mount Airy Middle

What district is South Carroll High in?

Carroll 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.