Is James M. Bennett High a good school?

James M. Bennett High ranks in the bottom 13.7% of Maryland high schools.

How many students attend James M. Bennett High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,379 students attended James M. Bennett High.

What is the racial makeup of James M. Bennett High?

Students at James M. Bennett High are 40% White, 33% African American, 15% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

What schools feed into James M. Bennett High?

James M. Bennett High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Fruitland Intermediate Elementary : Fruitland Primary Elementary : Pemberton Elementary Elementary : Pinehurst Elementary Elementary : Prince Street School Elementary : Westside Intermediate Elementary : Westside Primary Middle : Salisbury Middle

James M. Bennett High

Summary:

James M. Bennett High is a public high school in Salisbury, Maryland, serving grades 9-12 and part of the Wicomico County Public Schools district. The school has a diverse student population, with a mix of White, African American, and Hispanic students, as well as smaller percentages of other racial groups.

Despite the school's diversity, James M. Bennett High consistently underperforms compared to the county and state averages on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 7.4% of students were proficient or better in MCAP Mathematics, compared to 20% for Wicomico County and 24.1% for the state. Similarly, in MCAP English Language Arts for 10th grade, the school had 45.6% proficient or better, compared to 46% for the county and 55.3% for the state. The school's high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 44.15% to 54.09% over the past three years, suggests a higher proportion of students from low-income families.

When comparing James M. Bennett High to nearby schools in the Wicomico County Public Schools district, the school's academic performance is notably weaker. For instance, Mardela Middle & High consistently outperforms James M. Bennett High in MCAP test scores, with significantly higher proficiency rates in both Mathematics and English Language Arts. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has been declining over the years, from 118 out of 138 Maryland high schools in 2018-2019 to 126 out of 146 in 2023-2024, indicating that the school's performance is not improving and may be falling behind other high schools in the state.

Detail:

Public 9-12

300 E College Avenue
Salisbury, MD 21804

(410) 677-5141

District: Wicomico County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
126^th of 146 Maryland High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,910

Feeder schools for James M. Bennett High:

Elementary:	Fruitland Intermediate
	Fruitland Primary
	Pemberton Elementary
	Pinehurst Elementary
	More...
	Prince Street School
	Westside Intermediate
	Westside Primary
Middle:	Salisbury Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 1,379

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.8%

African American:

32.7%

Hispanic:

15.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 45.3%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare James M. Bennett High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details James M. Bennett High ranks worse than 86.3% of high schools in Maryland. It also ranks 3^rd among 4 ranked high schools in the Wicomico County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.62. (See more...)

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

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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 James M. Bennett High has the largest high school student body size in the Wicomico County Public Schools District. Student population at James M. Bennett High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (39.8%), African American (32.7%), Hispanic (15.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 45.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James M. Bennett High is 14.3, which is the highest among 5 high schools in the Wicomico County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare James M. Bennett High employs 96 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James M. Bennett High is $17,910, which is the lowest among 5 high schools in the Wicomico County Public Schools District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

James M. Bennett High was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks James M. Bennett High 126^th of 146 Maryland public high schools. (See James M. Bennett High in the ranking list.)

Wicomico County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wicomico County Public Schools 19^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for James M. Bennett High.

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Rank History for James M. Bennett High

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	43.48	112^th	201	44.3%
2005	55.19	81^st	204	60.3%
2006	50.92	110^th	204	46.1%
2007	48.93	118^th	209	43.5%
2008	51.54	136^th	214	36.4%
2009	46.05	145^th	213	31.9%
2010	46.73	150^th	220	31.8%
2011	19.32	156^th	183	14.8%
2012	25.49	147^th	187	21.4%
2013	37.58	128^th	185	30.8%
2014	65.10	118^th	231	48.9%
2015	48.20	129^th	233	44.6%
2016	45.71	127^th	233	45.5%
2017	34.31	113^th	180	37.2%
2018	27.64	137^th	197	30.5%
2019	24.66	118^th	138	14.5%
2022	36.62	121^st	225	46.2%
2024	26.62	126^th	146	13.7%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

67%

33%

Reviews:

by a student
Friday, January 24, 2020

They have all the bathrooms locked other than that its fine Close Quote

by a parent
Saturday, October 3, 2015

My daughter graduated JMB 2010 and my son is currently a junior. As a parent, I believe JMB is a fantastic school. Despite the building improvements, the teachers, coaches, counselors and staff have always made the difference. They are always available and willing to help.

Students and many other parents seem to think the teachers are the sole contributors to the students' education. This is not true. Effort is required from all involved: parents/guardians, teachers, community and students.

We all need to work on this especially in our changing social environment. There is, was and unfortunately always will be drugs! Unlike when I was in high school, there now exists cell phones, internet, xbox and play station. These can be used in good and bad ways.

I believe there are many significant factors in the home. My kids have a home environment which is a rarity nowadays - both parents are present in the same house everyday. I prepare dinner and pack lunch. I'm definitely NOT a "Leave it to Beaver" mom, but I keep a clean home, do the shopping and cooking. I have my own business and my husband works full time. My kids may not act like they have any sense, but here's the important thing -

THEY ARE LISTENING AND WATCHING.

I try to set a good example. My home is not a perfect scenario, but I put forth the effort to make improvements. I don't particularly like packing lunch, walking the dogs, making the bed and exercising before 7:30 a.m.

I do these things for many reasons and one of those reasons is because my kids are LISTENING AND WATCHING.

All of us have room for improvement. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, October 21, 2014

If it wasnt state law for my child to attend, I would allow a drunk donkey teach him. he would learn more. Close Quote

Enrollment information for James M. Bennett High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	722	302	35	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	1062
1990	682	302	29	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1015
1991	711	292	44	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1049
1992	758	292	51	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	1104
1993	766	322	32	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	1124
1994	833	343	26	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1207
1995	807	360	40	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	1218
1996	807	360	40	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	1218
1997	808	389	54	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	1263
1998	808	378	50	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	1251
1999	795	358	41	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	1216
2000	861	324	53	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	1260
2001	861	359	54	26	0	n/a	n/a	0	1300
2002	854	393	75	47	1	n/a	n/a	0	1370
2003	854	393	75	47	1	n/a	n/a	0	1370
2004	811	417	77	52	1	n/a	n/a	0	1358
2005	841	424	76	47	0	n/a	n/a	0	1388
2006	806	415	92	66	2	n/a	n/a	0	1381
2007	742	410	76	72	3	n/a	n/a	0	1303
2008	767	439	71	67	2	n/a	n/a	0	1346
2009	721	457	56	78	1	n/a	n/a	0	1313
2010	695	455	62	69	1	n/a	n/a	0	1282
2011	655	426	64	83	7	3	69	0	1307
2012	665	473	82	86	7	3	58	0	1374
2013	685	492	87	89	9	2	42	0	1406
2014	676	458	75	91	6	2	43	0	1351
2015	690	472	67	112	6	2	56	0	1405
2016	690	515	73	122	6	1	70	0	1477
2017	688	503	64	150	8	2	84	0	1499
2018	680	526	75	169	11	2	79	0	1542
2019	661	543	82	191	14	4	72	0	1567
2020	606	565	65	235	15	4	77	0	1567
2021	575	475	68	155	8	4	77	0	1362
2022	548	462	72	154	7	5	85	0	1333
2023	518	475	71	186	7	4	80	2	1343
2024	549	451	69	213	9	1	86	1	1379

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 James M. Bennett High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1062	63.2	16.8	n/a
1990	1015	61.2	16.5	5.4
1991	1049	62.7	16.7	6.6
1992	1104	63.7	17.3	7.8
1993	1124	69.5	16.2	7.7
1994	1207	69.8	17.3	12.5
1995	1218	72.9	16.7	14.8
1996	1218	72.9	16.7	14.8
1997	1263	72.8	17.3	21.3
1998	1251	73.1	17.1	15.9
1999	1216	73.2	16.6	21.4
2000	1260	77.5	16.3	14.8
2001	1300	76.9	16.9	15.5
2002	1370	79.8	17.2	18
2003	1370	79.8	17.2	18
2004	1358	80.6	16.8	22.4
2005	1388	82.0	16.9	23.7
2006	1381	80.0	17.3	30.3
2007	1303	84.6	15.4	27.2
2008	1346	83.5	16.1	26.8
2009	1313	87.0	15.1	30.8
2010	1282	88.5	14.4	31.5
2011	1307	91.5	14.2	36.6
2012	1374	92.5	14.8	42.1
2013	1406	91.5	15.3	42.4
2014	1351	94.5	14.2	42.6
2015	1405	94.0	14.9	40
2016	1477	96.0	15.3	45
2017	1499	94.0	15.9	45.3
2018	1542	95.0	16.2	45.5
2019	1567	96.0	16.3	48.9
2020	1567	97.0	16.1	46.6
2021	1362	93.0	14.6	52.4
2022	1333	95.0	14.0	54.1
2023	1343	95.0	14.1	44.2
2024	1379	96.0	14.3	45.3

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 James M. Bennett High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1062	63.2	16.8	n/a
1990	1015	61.2	16.5	5.4
1991	1049	62.7	16.7	6.6
1992	1104	63.7	17.3	7.8
1993	1124	69.5	16.2	7.7
1994	1207	69.8	17.3	12.5
1995	1218	72.9	16.7	14.8
1996	1218	72.9	16.7	14.8
1997	1263	72.8	17.3	21.3
1998	1251	73.1	17.1	15.9
1999	1216	73.2	16.6	21.4
2000	1260	77.5	16.3	14.8
2001	1300	76.9	16.9	15.5
2002	1370	79.8	17.2	18
2003	1370	79.8	17.2	18
2004	1358	80.6	16.8	22.4
2005	1388	82.0	16.9	23.7
2006	1381	80.0	17.3	30.3
2007	1303	84.6	15.4	27.2
2008	1346	83.5	16.1	26.8
2009	1313	87.0	15.1	30.8
2010	1282	88.5	14.4	31.5
2011	1307	91.5	14.2	36.6
2012	1374	92.5	14.8	42.1
2013	1406	91.5	15.3	42.4
2014	1351	94.5	14.2	42.6
2015	1405	94.0	14.9	40
2016	1477	96.0	15.3	45
2017	1499	94.0	15.9	45.3
2018	1542	95.0	16.2	45.5
2019	1567	96.0	16.3	48.9
2020	1567	97.0	16.1	46.6
2021	1362	93.0	14.6	52.4
2022	1333	95.0	14.0	54.1
2023	1343	95.0	14.1	44.2
2024	1379	96.0	14.3	45.3

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 James M. Bennett High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$549 (4.4%)	$11,976 (95.6%)	$12,525
2020	$702 (5.6%)	$11,875 (94.4%)	$12,577
2021	$4,918 (33.8%)	$9,631 (66.2%)	$14,549
2022	$1,926 (12.1%)	$14,053 (87.9%)	$15,979
2023	$2,651 (14.8%)	$15,259 (85.2%)	$17,910

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James M. Bennett 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 118^th of 138 High schools	Ranks 121^st of 225 High schools	31.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1567	1343	14.3%
African American	543	475	12.5%
American Indian	14	7	50%
Asian	82	71	13.4%
Hispanic	191	186	2.6%
Pacific Islander	4	4
White	661	518	21.6%
Two or More Races	72	80	11.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48.9%	44.2%	4.8%

Schools Near James M. Bennett 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)	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 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	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	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James M. Bennett High	Public	9-12	300 E College Avenue	Salisbury	21804	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 677-5141	1,379	96	14.3	45.3%	549 (39.8%)	451 (32.7%)	213 (15.4%)	69 (5.0%)	9 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	86 (6.2%)	26.6	126^th of 146 public high schools	13.7%					(n/a)				7.4				45.6	45.6		14.4	8.7		$17,910	$2,651	$15,259
Parkside High	Public	9-12	1015 Beaglin Park Dr	Salisbury	21804	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 677-5143	1,223	107	11.4	52.5%	572 (46.8%)	385 (31.5%)	130 (10.6%)	37 (3.0%)	13 (1.1%)	3 (0.2%)	83 (6.8%)	36.4	99^th of 146 public high schools	32.2%					(n/a)								47.7	47.7		13.6			$18,663	$2,529	$16,134
Wicomico County Evening High	Public	10-12	916 S. Schumaker Dr	Salisbury	21804	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 677-4537	36	10	3.6	50.0%	14 (38.9%)	11 (30.6%)	7 (19.4%)	1 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (8.3%)								(n/a)														$37,967	$5,306	$32,661
Wicomico High	Public	9-12	201 Long Avenue	Salisbury	21804	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 677-5146	1,307	93	14.0	64.3%	257 (19.7%)	640 (49.0%)	254 (19.4%)	28 (2.1%)	12 (0.9%)	2 (0.2%)	111 (8.5%)	15.9	138^th of 146 public high schools	5.5%					(n/a)								32.4	32.4		5.8			$17,965	$2,719	$15,246
Mardela Middle & High	Public	6-12	24940 Delmar Rd	Mardela Springs	21837	Wicomico County	Wicomico County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 677-5142	706	53	13.3	41.8%	544 (77.1%)	67 (9.5%)	37 (5.2%)	7 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (6.9%)	51.6	52^nd of 146 public high schools	64.4%		56.3	39^th of 127 public high schools	69.3%	13	29.2	28.0	16.2	24.0	53.8	63.4	62.1	85.2	66.4	30.5	19.2	9.7	26.4	$19,424	$3,148	$16,276
Washington Academy and High School	Public	8-12	10902 Old Princess Anne Rd	Princess Anne	21853	Somerset County	Somerset County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 651-0480	616	40	15.4	72.9%	148 (24.0%)	363 (58.9%)	57 (9.3%)	8 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	37 (6.0%)								(n/a)							15.7	32.8	25.9				5.6	$23,655	$4,285	$19,370
Worcester Technical High School	Public	9-12	6290 Worcester Hwy	Newark	21841	Worcester County	Worcester County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 632-5050	0	27	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Snow Hill High	Public	9-12	305 S Church St	Snow Hill	21863	Worcester County	Worcester County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 632-5270	341	32	10.6	100.0%	190 (55.7%)	93 (27.3%)	20 (5.9%)	4 (1.2%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (9.4%)	46.4	66^th of 146 public high schools	54.8%		45.6	71^st of 127 public high schools	44.1%	5				24.7				76.1	76.1	20.8	32.8	25.0		$29,078	$2,712	$26,366
Somerset County Technical High School	Public	9-12	79894 Tawes Campus Road	Westover	21871	Somerset County	Somerset County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 651-2285	0	17	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Pocomoke High	Public	9-12	1817 Old Virginia Rd	Pocomoke City	21851	Worcester County	Worcester County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 632-5180	351	34	10.4		128 (36.5%)	160 (45.6%)	29 (8.3%)	7 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.7%)	35.3	104^th of 146 public high schools	28.8%		37.1	93^rd of 127 public high schools	26.8%	11				11.5				68.1	68.1	9.0	21.7	9.4		$28,539	$2,590	$25,949

James M. Bennett High

Wicomico County Public Schools:

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Rank History for James M. Bennett High

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Enrollment information for James M. Bennett High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at James M. Bennett High

Student/Teacher Ratio James M. Bennett High

Per Pupil Expenditures for James M. Bennett High

Impact of COVID-19 on James M. Bennett High

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near James M. Bennett High