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Stephen Decatur Middle

Summary:

Stephen Decatur Middle is a public middle school located in Berlin, Maryland, serving 697 students in grades 7-8. The school is part of the Worcester County Public Schools district, which is ranked 4 out of 25 districts in Maryland and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Stephen Decatur Middle consistently outperforms the state and district averages in both Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) assessments. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school had 53.3% of students proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 39.3% for the district and 24.1% for the state. In ELA, the school had 78.8% of students proficient or better, compared to 69.4% for the district and 48.4% for the state. The school has been ranked among the top middle schools in Maryland, with a ranking of 12 out of 328 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

When compared to the nearby Snow Hill Middle and Pittsville Elementary & Middle, Stephen Decatur Middle outperforms both schools in academic assessments, particularly in Mathematics and ELA. The school's exceptional Algebra I performance, with 100% of students proficient or better, also stands out compared to the district (25.9%) and state (20%) averages.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 9815 Seahawk Rd
       Berlin, MD  21811-2956

(410) 641-2846

District: Worcester County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
12th of 328 Maryland Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,221 Help


Students who attend Stephen Decatur Middle usually attend:

High:    Stephen Decatur High

Feeder schools for Stephen Decatur Middle:

Elementary:    Buckingham Elementary
    Ocean City Elementary
    Showell Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  12.2 Help
Number of students:  697

Racial breakdown:

White:
70.0%
Hispanic:
10.6%
African American:
8.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  50.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Stephen Decatur Middle ranks better than 96.3% of middle schools in Maryland. It also ranks first among 3 ranked middle schools in the Worcester County Public Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.02. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Stephen Decatur Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Worcester County Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (70%), Hispanic (10.6%), African American (8.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 50.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Worcester County Public Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Stephen Decatur Middle is 12.2. 2 middle schools in the Worcester County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Stephen Decatur Middle employs 57 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Stephen Decatur Middle is $18,221, which is the lowest among 4 middle schools in the Worcester County Public Schools District!
Schooldigger Rankings:

Stephen Decatur Middle was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Stephen Decatur Middle 12th of 328 Maryland public middle schools. (See Stephen Decatur Middle in the ranking list.)

Worcester County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Worcester County Public Schools 4th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Stephen Decatur Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Stephen Decatur Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 28.97 189th 252 25.0%
2005 13.99 222nd 255 12.9%
2006 13.16 221st 254 13.0%
2007 6.58 247th 264 6.4%
2008 88.00 18th 283 93.6%
2009 86.18 22nd 301 92.7%
2010 88.41 10th 324 96.9%
2011 90.57 6th 309 98.1%
2012 89.20 11th 314 96.5%
2013 89.58 12th 316 96.2%
2014 86.81 33rd 339 90.3%
2015 88.55 31st 315 90.2%
2016 88.68 24th 314 92.4%
2017 93.36 18th 317 94.3%
2018 87.13 48th 328 85.4%
2019 90.64 29th 316 90.8%
2021 78.83 51st 303 83.2%
2022 97.47 5th 333 98.5%
2023 93.28 13th 322 96.0%
2024 94.02 12th 328 96.3%
See the entire list of Maryland Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Stephen Decatur Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.87 88th 136 35.3%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Stephen Decatur Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 40.77 71st 120 40.8%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Stephen Decatur Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 79.53 19th 273 93.0%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Stephen Decatur Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 81.44 42nd 303 86.1%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Stephen Decatur Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 71.94 71st 288 75.3%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Stephen Decatur Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 52.55 113th 259 56.4%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Stephen Decatur Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 56.96 69th 207 66.7%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Stephen Decatur Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 64.99 72nd 210 65.7%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle 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.

Stephen Decatur Middle Test Scores
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Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Stephen Decatur Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1998 468 125 5 6 0 n/a n/a 0 604
1999 499 122 6 7 0 n/a n/a 0 634
2000 526 106 4 6 0 n/a n/a 0 642
2001 519 104 2 7 0 n/a n/a 0 632
2002 555 102 4 15 0 n/a n/a 0 676
2003 555 102 4 15 0 n/a n/a 0 676
2004 539 99 6 17 1 n/a n/a 0 662
2005 531 100 7 25 3 n/a n/a 0 666
2006 520 88 8 29 4 n/a n/a 0 649
2007 508 83 5 29 6 n/a n/a 0 631
2008 534 94 3 27 5 n/a n/a 0 663
2009 519 84 11 27 4 n/a n/a 0 645
2010 508 80 18 20 2 n/a n/a 0 628
2011 469 79 11 28 1 0 26 0 614
2012 503 72 11 25 2 0 25 0 638
2013 463 74 13 32 4 0 15 0 601
2014 473 73 15 49 3 0 18 0 631
2015 488 76 12 42 2 0 21 0 641
2016 463 75 14 40 0 0 23 0 615
2017 461 80 16 44 2 0 29 0 632
2018 489 74 13 50 1 0 30 0 657
2019 481 69 12 56 0 0 32 0 650
2020 496 57 14 68 2 0 49 0 686
2021 484 59 13 75 2 0 58 0 691
2022 486 61 10 61 2 0 49 0 669
2023 488 61 16 74 0 0 58 0 697

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 Stephen Decatur Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 604 0.0 0.0 25.8
1999 634 43.0 14.7 37.7
2000 642 37.0 17.4 34.6
2001 632 36.0 17.6 31.3
2002 676 37.0 18.3 29.3
2003 676 37.0 18.3 29.3
2004 662 42.0 15.8 27.8
2005 666 44.0 15.1 26.6
2006 649 45.0 14.4 25.4
2007 631 50.0 12.6 24.1
2008 663 49.5 13.4 24.6
2009 645 47.0 13.7 28.5
2010 628 47.0 13.3 30.6
2011 614 49.0 12.5 34.4
2012 638 49.0 13.0 37
2013 601 51.0 11.7 36.4
2014 631 51.0 12.3 35.8
2015 641 52.0 12.3 35.4
2016 615 53.0 11.6 39
2017 632 52.0 12.1 38.1
2018 657 52.0 12.6 38.2
2019 650 53.3 12.1 36
2020 686 53.3 12.8 35.9
2021 691 54.5 12.6 38.5
2022 669 57.5 11.6 40.8
2023 697 57.0 12.2 50.2

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 Stephen Decatur Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 604 0.0 0.0 25.8
1999 634 43.0 14.7 37.7
2000 642 37.0 17.4 34.6
2001 632 36.0 17.6 31.3
2002 676 37.0 18.3 29.3
2003 676 37.0 18.3 29.3
2004 662 42.0 15.8 27.8
2005 666 44.0 15.1 26.6
2006 649 45.0 14.4 25.4
2007 631 50.0 12.6 24.1
2008 663 49.5 13.4 24.6
2009 645 47.0 13.7 28.5
2010 628 47.0 13.3 30.6
2011 614 49.0 12.5 34.4
2012 638 49.0 13.0 37
2013 601 51.0 11.7 36.4
2014 631 51.0 12.3 35.8
2015 641 52.0 12.3 35.4
2016 615 53.0 11.6 39
2017 632 52.0 12.1 38.1
2018 657 52.0 12.6 38.2
2019 650 53.3 12.1 36
2020 686 53.3 12.8 35.9
2021 691 54.5 12.6 38.5
2022 669 57.5 11.6 40.8
2023 697 57.0 12.2 50.2

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 Stephen Decatur Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $576 (3.7%) $14,835 (96.3%) $15,411
2020 $485 (3.2%) $14,844 (96.8%) $15,329
2021 $795 (4.9%) $15,309 (95.1%) $16,104
2022 $963 (5.6%) $16,129 (94.4%) $17,092
2023 $1,400 (7.7%) $16,821 (92.3%) $18,221

Data source: Maryland Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Stephen Decatur Middle

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 29th of 316 Middle schoolsRanks 13th of 322 Middle schools
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students650697
 7.2%
African American6961
 11.6%
American Indian00
Asian1216
 33.3%
Hispanic5674
 32.1%
Pacific Islander00
White481488
 1.5%
Two or More Races3258
 81.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients36%50.2%
 14.2%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Stephen Decatur Middle

Students who attend Stephen Decatur Middle usually go on to attend Stephen Decatur High

In the 2022-23 school year, 697 students attended Stephen Decatur Middle.

Yes! Stephen Decatur Middle is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 12th of 328 Maryland middle schools.

Students at Stephen Decatur Middle are 70% White, 11% Hispanic, 9% African American, 8% Two or more races, 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.




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