Smithsburg High

Q: Is Smithsburg High a good school?

Smithsburg High ranks 83 rd of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Smithsburg High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Smithsburg, Maryland, with a student population of 717 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school is part of the Washington County Public Schools district, which is ranked 12th out of 25 districts in Maryland and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Smithsburg High stands out for its relatively high percentage of white students (77.13% in 2022-2023), which is significantly higher than nearby schools like South Hagerstown High (35.24%) and North Hagerstown High (45.76%). The school also outperforms the district and state averages in English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency, with 74.8% of students proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to 53% for the district and 48.4% for the state. However, Smithsburg High lags behind in Mathematics proficiency, with only 16.8% of students proficient or better, compared to 25.6% for the district and 24.1% for the state.

While Smithsburg High's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, it currently stands at 83rd out of 146 Maryland high schools, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's racial diversity has become slightly more diverse in recent years, and it has seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 32.02% in 2020-2021 to 45.89% in 2022-2023. Compared to nearby schools like Boonsboro High and Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, Smithsburg High lags behind in ELA proficiency, but it outperforms the district and state averages in this area.

Detail:

Public 9-12

66 N Main St
Smithsburg, MD 21783-9606

(301) 766-8337

District: Washington County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
83^rd of 146 Maryland High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,781

Feeder schools for Smithsburg High:

Elementary:	Cascade Elementary
	Old Forge Elementary
	Smithsburg Elementary
Middle:	Smithsburg Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 717

Racial breakdown:

White:

77.1%

Hispanic:

7.9%

African American:

7.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 45.9%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Smithsburg High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Smithsburg High ranks worse than 56.8% of high schools in Maryland. It also ranks 5^th among 8 ranked high schools in the Washington County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.91. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Smithsburg High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 (77.1%), Hispanic (7.9%), African American (7.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 45.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Smithsburg High is 16.5. 5 high schools in the Washington County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Smithsburg High employs 43.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Smithsburg High is $17,781, which is the 4^th highest among 8 high schools in the Washington County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Smithsburg High 83^rd of 146 Maryland public high schools. (See Smithsburg High in the ranking list.)

Washington County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Washington County Public Schools 12^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Smithsburg High

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Rank History for all students at Smithsburg High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	58.74	25^th	201	87.6%
2005	52.88	94^th	204	53.9%
2006	76.86	26^th	204	87.3%
2007	81.44	11^th	209	94.7%
2008	75.48	57^th	214	73.4%
2009	74.67	57^th	213	73.2%
2010	81.37	27^th	220	87.7%
2011	80.15	28^th	183	84.7%
2012	81.49	20^th	187	89.3%
2013	81.99	26^th	185	85.9%
2014	81.73	15^th	231	93.5%
2015	57.08	90^th	233	61.4%
2016	71.03	41^st	233	82.4%
2017	53.99	69^th	180	61.7%
2018	58.64	56^th	197	71.6%
2019	61.55	43^rd	138	68.8%
2022	44.39	92^nd	225	59.1%
2023	45.23	72^nd	127	43.3%
2024	40.91	83^rd	146	43.2%

See the entire list of Maryland High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Smithsburg High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	18.18	11^th	11	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Maryland High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Male students at Smithsburg High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	58.14	18^th	35	48.6%

See the entire list of Best Maryland High Schools for Male 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

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Enrollment information for Smithsburg High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	664	31	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	703
1990	619	34	6	5	0	n/a	n/a	664
1991	606	30	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	650
1992	608	32	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	654
1993	625	27	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	666
1994	641	21	8	11	0	n/a	n/a	681
1995	629	46	4	11	0	n/a	n/a	690
1996	629	46	4	11	0	n/a	n/a	690
1997	642	36	9	7	0	n/a	n/a	694
1998	654	29	9	5	0	n/a	n/a	697
1999	678	25	11	10	0	n/a	n/a	724
2000	667	21	15	14	0	n/a	n/a	717
2001	704	25	19	13	0	n/a	n/a	761
2002	761	29	14	12	4	n/a	n/a	820
2003	761	29	14	12	4	n/a	n/a	820
2004	770	39	9	12	3	n/a	n/a	833
2005	783	39	11	12	1	n/a	n/a	846
2006	813	38	16	19	1	n/a	n/a	887
2007	817	44	16	23	2	n/a	n/a	902
2008	770	47	13	29	4	n/a	n/a	863
2009	757	46	14	29	3	n/a	n/a	849
2010	700	44	15	21	11	n/a	n/a	791
2011	665	41	15	36	2	1	30	790
2012	668	49	20	44	3	0	36	820
2013	641	51	26	37	2	0	34	791
2014	663	48	26	36	0	0	26	799
2015	653	47	23	41	0	0	30	794
2016	640	42	20	34	0	0	27	763
2017	657	43	15	39	0	0	34	788
2018	646	40	15	40	0	2	36	779
2019	625	39	15	42	1	2	33	757
2020	607	42	15	53	1	2	33	753
2021	591	48	10	44	0	2	39	734
2022	589	48	12	49	1	0	36	735
2023	553	56	12	57	1	0	38	717

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 Smithsburg High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	703	40.0	17.5	n/a
1990	664	39.0	17.0	3.6
1991	650	39.0	16.6	4
1992	654	39.0	16.7	7.5
1993	666	39.0	17.1	7.4
1994	681	39.0	17.5	8.1
1995	690	41.0	16.8	7.8
1996	690	41.0	16.8	7.8
1997	694	42.0	16.5	6.9
1998	697	42.0	16.6	8.6
1999	724	42.0	17.2	12.3
2000	717	44.0	16.3	10.6
2001	761	45.5	16.7	10.8
2002	820	45.5	18.0	15.7
2003	820	45.5	18.0	15.7
2004	833	50.5	16.5	16
2005	846	51.0	16.6	15.5
2006	887	50.0	17.7	15.1
2007	902	53.0	17.0	16.3
2008	863	53.0	16.3	17
2009	849	53.0	16.0	20.4
2010	791	50.0	15.8	24.7
2011	790	50.0	15.8	25.4
2012	820	48.5	16.9	29.4
2013	791	46.5	17.0	30.3
2014	799	46.7	17.0	31.5
2015	794	46.0	17.2	28.7
2016	763	48.0	15.8	28.7
2017	788	43.9	17.9	27.3
2018	779	44.6	17.4	28.8
2019	757	44.7	16.9	29.7
2020	753	45.7	16.4	31.7
2021	734	44.2	16.6	32
2022	735	43.4	16.9	33.9
2023	717	43.4	16.5	45.9

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 Smithsburg High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	703	40.0	17.5	n/a
1990	664	39.0	17.0	3.6
1991	650	39.0	16.6	4
1992	654	39.0	16.7	7.5
1993	666	39.0	17.1	7.4
1994	681	39.0	17.5	8.1
1995	690	41.0	16.8	7.8
1996	690	41.0	16.8	7.8
1997	694	42.0	16.5	6.9
1998	697	42.0	16.6	8.6
1999	724	42.0	17.2	12.3
2000	717	44.0	16.3	10.6
2001	761	45.5	16.7	10.8
2002	820	45.5	18.0	15.7
2003	820	45.5	18.0	15.7
2004	833	50.5	16.5	16
2005	846	51.0	16.6	15.5
2006	887	50.0	17.7	15.1
2007	902	53.0	17.0	16.3
2008	863	53.0	16.3	17
2009	849	53.0	16.0	20.4
2010	791	50.0	15.8	24.7
2011	790	50.0	15.8	25.4
2012	820	48.5	16.9	29.4
2013	791	46.5	17.0	30.3
2014	799	46.7	17.0	31.5
2015	794	46.0	17.2	28.7
2016	763	48.0	15.8	28.7
2017	788	43.9	17.9	27.3
2018	779	44.6	17.4	28.8
2019	757	44.7	16.9	29.7
2020	753	45.7	16.4	31.7
2021	734	44.2	16.6	32
2022	735	43.4	16.9	33.9
2023	717	43.4	16.5	45.9

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 Smithsburg High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$773 (5.7%)	$12,699 (94.3%)	$13,472
2020	$610 (4.8%)	$12,177 (95.4%)	$12,761
2021	$1,690 (12.2%)	$12,171 (88.0%)	$13,834
2022	$1,167 (7.9%)	$13,658 (92.1%)	$14,825
2023	$2,582 (14.5%)	$15,199 (85.5%)	$17,781

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Smithsburg 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 43^rd of 138 High schools	Ranks 72^nd of 127 High schools	25.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	757	717	5.3%
African American	39	56	43.6%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	15	12	20%
Hispanic	42	57	35.7%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	625	553	11.5%
Two or More Races	33	38	15.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.7%	45.9%	16.2%

Schools Near Smithsburg 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
Smithsburg High	Public	9-12	66 N Main St	Smithsburg	21783	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8337	717	43	16.5	45.9%	553 (77.1%)	56 (7.8%)	57 (7.9%)	12 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.3%)	40.9	83^rd of 146 public high schools	43.2%		45.2	72^nd of 127 public high schools	43.3%	11	16.8	74.8	74.8	19.6		11.4	$17,781	$2,582	$15,199
North Hagerstown High	Public, Magnet	9-12	1200 Pennsylvania Ave	Hagerstown	21742	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 766-8238	1,438	74	19.4	61.5%	658 (45.8%)	341 (23.7%)	250 (17.4%)	58 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	128 (8.9%)	39.9	88^th of 146 public high schools	39.7%		36.6	95^th of 127 public high schools	25.2%	7	11.0	60.1	60.1	15.3			$14,222	$1,854	$12,368
Barbara Ingram School for the Arts	Public, Magnet	9-12	7-11 S. Potomac Street	Hagerstown	21740	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 766-8840	342	23	15.2	28.9%	242 (70.8%)	30 (8.8%)	33 (9.6%)	16 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.1%)	58.5	36^th of 146 public high schools	75.3%		61.1	30^th of 127 public high schools	76.4%	6	31.0	92.4	92.4	31.8		29.9	$16,769	$1,128	$15,640
Washington County Job Development Center	Public	12	1350 Marshall St	Hagerstown	21740	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8214	46	6	7.6	56.5%	28 (60.9%)	11 (23.9%)	4 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (6.5%)								(n/a)							$9,713	$2,174	$7,540
South Hagerstown High	Public, Magnet	9-12	1101 S Potomac St	Hagerstown	21740	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 766-8369	1,487	87	17.0	77.7%	524 (35.2%)	416 (28.0%)	309 (20.8%)	40 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	197 (13.2%)	37.4	93^rd of 146 public high schools	36.3%		27.6	109^th of 127 public high schools	14.2%	16	8.3	57.8	57.8	10.8			$14,915	$3,079	$11,835
Catoctin High	Public	9-12	14745 Sabillasville Rd	Thurmont	21788	Frederick County	Frederick County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 236-8100	784	42	18.6	33.7%	668 (85.2%)	14 (1.8%)	62 (7.9%)	7 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	30 (3.8%)	29.6	121^st of 146 public high schools	17.1%		37.1	94^th of 127 public high schools	26.0%	27	14.7	52.4	52.4	15.0		12.8	$16,836	$853	$15,983
Boonsboro High	Public	9-12	10 Campus Ave	Boonsboro	21713	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8022	747	52	14.3	35.7%	638 (85.4%)	14 (1.9%)	44 (5.9%)	11 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (5.4%)	55.5	42^nd of 146 public high schools	71.2%		64.5	23^rd of 127 public high schools	81.9%	19	33.1	68.5	68.5	32.9	42.3	28.2	$16,562	$1,434	$15,128
Williamsport High	Public	9-12	5 S Clifton Dr	Williamsport	21795	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8423	959	57	16.8	63.0%	641 (66.8%)	95 (9.9%)	150 (15.6%)	10 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (6.5%)	45.6	70^th of 146 public high schools	52.1%		37.6	91^st of 127 public high schools	28.3%	21	11.3	64.0	64.0	15.8			$28,135	$14,468	$13,666
Middletown High	Public	9-12	200 Schoolhouse Dr	Middletown	21769	Frederick County	Frederick County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 236-7400	1,097	54	20.3	17.0%	884 (80.6%)	33 (3.0%)	105 (9.6%)	19 (1.7%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	52 (4.7%)	43.5	77^th of 146 public high schools	47.3%		46.7	66^th of 127 public high schools	48.0%	11	19.1	67.5	67.5	12.3	78.6	25.5	$15,015	$786	$14,229
Walkersville High	Public	9-12	81 W Frederick Street	Walkersville	21793	Frederick County	Frederick County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 236-7200	1,213	65	18.6	33.1%	719 (59.3%)	188 (15.5%)	197 (16.2%)	30 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	78 (6.4%)	33.7	111^th of 146 public high schools	24.0%		41.5	76^th of 127 public high schools	40.2%	35	10.6	61.9	61.9	10.8	60.0	7.9	$15,957	$950	$15,007

Frequently Asked Questions about Smithsburg High

What schools feed into Smithsburg High?

Smithsburg High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cascade Elementary
Elementary : Old Forge Elementary
Elementary : Smithsburg Elementary
Middle : Smithsburg Middle

What is the racial makeup of Smithsburg High?

Students at Smithsburg High are 77% White, 8% Hispanic, 8% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Smithsburg High in?

Washington County Public Schools

Is Smithsburg High a good school?

Smithsburg High ranks 83^rd of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Smithsburg High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 717 students attended Smithsburg High.

Rate Smithsburg High!

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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.