Allegany County Public Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Cumberland, Maryland - 22 schools

An equity score of 66/100 ranks Allegany County Public Schools #8 of 24 districts in Maryland (state average 52). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,465 per pupil, Allegany County Public Schools ranks #14 of 24 Maryland districts by per-pupil spending (Maryland districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

8,181
Total Enrollment
22
Schools
$17,465
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Allegany County Public Schools operates 22 public schools serving 8,181 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Maryland. The school portfolio breaks down into 14 combined, 4 high, 4 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Allegany County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,465 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 24 Maryland districts by per-pupil spending. See how Maryland compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 22.8% local, 62.9% state, and 14.3% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 66/100, ranked #8 of 24 in Maryland against a state average of 52, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 22 schools offering Advanced Placement (40 AP courses district-wide), a 329.1:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 39.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 85.2% White, 3.9% African American, 2.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is South Penn Elementary, with a diversity index of 46.5/100.

Its largest campus is Mountain Ridge High School, enrolling 743 students (9% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Bel Air Elementary, at 216 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Allegany County Public Schools school enrollment varies 3.4× across entities

Allegany County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 216 students (lowest) to 743 students (highest), a spread of 527 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Allegany County Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 59.1% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Allegany County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 329:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Allegany County Public Schools is typically wider than the Allegany County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Allegany County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 39.9% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

14.3%
Federal
62.9%
State
22.8%
Local

Funding Equity

66
Equity Score
8 / 24
State Rank
52
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 22 schools in Allegany County Public Schools.

White 85.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%
African American 3.9%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 7.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 25.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Allegany County Public Schools's schools, below the Maryland average of 52.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 South Penn Elementary 46.5
  2. 2 West Side Elementary 46.3
  3. 3 John Humbird Elementary 44.6
  4. 4 Parkside Elementary 35.5
  5. 5 Allegany High 34.0

Programs & Resources

4 / 22
Schools with AP
40 AP courses total
329.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.9%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Allegany County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Mountain Ridge High School
743
Allegany High
719
Fort Hill High
655
Washington Middle
577
Braddock Middle
536
South Penn Elementary
491
Beall Elementary
415
Mount Savage Middle
408
West Side Elementary
321
Center for Career & Technical Education
300
George's Creek Elementary
272
Northeast Elementary
272
Cresaptown Elementary
268
Cash Valley Elementary
266
Westmar Middle
258
Westernport Elementary
248
Frost Elementary
243
John Humbird Elementary
242
Flintstone Elementary
223
Parkside Elementary
222
Mt. Savage Elementary
218
Bel Air Elementary
216

How Allegany County Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Maryland districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Queen Anne's County Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Worcester County Public Schools Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Caroline County Public Schools Smaller Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dorchester County Public Schools Smaller Higher spending Similar funding mix
Talbot County Public Schools Smaller Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Allegany County Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Maryland

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Allegany County Public Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Montgomery County Public Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Allegany County Public Schools?

Allegany County Public Schools has 22 schools, including 4 high, 4 middle, 14 combined. Total enrollment is 8,181 students.

How much does Allegany County Public Schools spend per student?

Allegany County Public Schools spends $17,465 per student. The district has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #8 in Maryland.

What is the demographic composition of Allegany County Public Schools?

Allegany County Public Schools students are 85.2% White, 3.9% African American, 2.2% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 22 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Allegany County Public Schools?

Allegany County Public Schools has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #8 out of 24 districts in Maryland.