Mahadev Maitri Foundation
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St. Mary's County Public Schools

Maryland · Public School District
28
Schools
17,493
Students
$17,616
Per-Pupil Spend
+23% nat'l
40.2%
Free Lunch Rate
-12pp vs nat'l
94.7%
Graduation Rate
+8.2pp vs nat'l
District Overview

St. Mary's County Public Schools is a public school district in Maryland serving 17,493 students across 28 schools. It includes 19 elementary, 4 middle, 3 high schools, among them 1 charter school. Its graduation rate of 94.7% is above the national average of 86.5%. Per-pupil spending of $17,616 is above average for a US public school district. 40% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Opportunity scores across its schools are moderate, with a district median of 47/100.

⇄ Compare with another district
All Schools (28)
Middle Schools4 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Esperanza Middle06–08875
Leonardtown Middle06–08969
Margaret Brent Middle06–08935
Spring Ridge Middle06–08987
High Schools3 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Chopticon High09–121,682
Great Mills High09–121,779
Leonardtown High09–122,039
Other Schools2 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology CenterUG–UG0
St. Mary's County Evening HighUG–UG0
District Finances
Per-Pupil Expenditure$17,616+23% nat'l avg
National avg $14,347
Revenue Sources
41%
45%
State
41.3%
Local (property tax)
45.1%
Federal
13.6%

Funding is shared between state (41%) and local sources (45%), with limited federal reliance.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey. District-level data.
District Snapshot
28
Schools
17,493
Students
40%
Free Lunch
$18K
Per-Pupil
Graduation Rate94.7%
Opportunity Score47/100
StateMaryland →
School Rankings
Strengths & Considerations
Strong graduation outcomes
94.7% graduation rate — 8.2 points above the national average of 86.5%.
High per-student investment
Spends $17,616 per pupil — 23% above the national average of $14,347.
Range of school options
With 28 schools including 1 charter school, families have meaningful choice across programs and grade levels.
Location
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in St. Mary's County Public Schools?
St. Mary's County Public Schools has 28 public schools, serving a total of 17,493 students.
What is the graduation rate for St. Mary's County Public Schools?
The graduation rate is 94.7%, which is above the national average of 86.5%.
How much does St. Mary's County Public Schools spend per student?
St. Mary's County Public Schools spends $17,616 per pupil — 23% above the national average of $14,347.
What percentage of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in St. Mary's County Public Schools?
40% of students in St. Mary's County Public Schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the national rate of 52.2%.
Are there charter schools in St. Mary's County Public Schools?
Yes — 1 of the 28 schools in St. Mary's County Public Schools is a charter school.
What grade levels does St. Mary's County Public Schools serve?
St. Mary's County Public Schools serves grades PK through UG, covering elementary level.
What is the opportunity score for St. Mary's County Public Schools?
The median opportunity score across schools in St. Mary's County Public Schools is 47/100. The national median is 50/100. Opportunity scores reflect long-term economic mobility prospects for children who grow up in these communities.
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.