An equity score of 79/100 ranks Dorchester County Public Schools #3 of 24 districts in Maryland (state average 53). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $21,340 per pupil, Dorchester County Public Schools ranks #5 of 24 Maryland districts by per-pupil spending (Maryland districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
4,523
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$21,340
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Dorchester County Public Schools operates 11 public schools serving 4,523 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Maryland. The school portfolio breaks down into 7 combined, 2 high, 2 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly 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 Dorchester County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,340 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 24 Maryland districts by per-pupil spending. See how Maryland compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 19.8% local, 65.2% state, and 15.0% 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 79/100, ranked #3 of 24 in Maryland against a state average of 53, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (10 AP courses district-wide), a 282.9:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 55.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 43.1% White, 35.0% African American, 13.0% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Maple Elementary School, with a diversity index of 70.0/100.
Cambridge-South Dorchester High School accounts for 17.7% of all Dorchester County Public Schools student enrollment
That concentration means Dorchester County Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.
Dorchester County Public Schools school enrollment varies 4.4× across entities
Dorchester County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 183 students (lowest) to 811 students (highest), a spread of 628 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.
Dorchester County Public Schools reports 100.0% free-lunch eligibility
The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.
Dorchester County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 283:1 — 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 Dorchester County Public Schools is typically wider than the Dorchester County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Dorchester County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 55.6% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)
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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.
Comparisons are relative to Dorchester 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.
How many schools are in Dorchester County Public Schools?
Dorchester County Public Schools has 11 schools, including 2 high, 2 middle, 7 combined. Total enrollment is 4,523 students.
How much does Dorchester County Public Schools spend per student?
Dorchester County Public Schools spends $21,340 per student. The district has an equity score of 79/100, ranking #3 in Maryland.
What is the demographic composition of Dorchester County Public Schools?
Dorchester County Public Schools students are 43.1% White, 35.0% African American, 13.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Dorchester County Public Schools?
Dorchester County Public Schools has an equity score of 79/100, ranking #3 out of 24 districts in Maryland.