How equitable is school funding in Maryland?

The average funding equity score for Maryland school districts is 52 out of 100, compared to the national average of 49. This score considers per-pupil spending, need-adjusted spending, funding source diversity, and student-teacher ratios.

What does the equity score measure?

The equity score (0-100) measures four dimensions: per-pupil spending level, need-adjusted spending (rewarding districts that spend more where poverty is higher), funding diversity (less reliance on local property taxes), and resource access (lower student-teacher ratios).

Maryland · NCES F-33 finance data

School Funding Equity in Maryland

24 districts ranked by how equitably school funding is distributed, scored from NCES F-33 school finance data covering districts in all 50 states.

Compiled by PlainSchools Editorial, Independent education-data publisher · June 10, 2026

The equity picture in one line

Kent County Public Schools ranks first in Maryland for funding equity at 96/100, in a state whose districts average 52 against a national average of 49.

96/100
top score (Kent County Public Schools): $52,174
per-pupil spending in the top district: 7
districts scoring 70 or higher: 4
districts below 30

#	District	Enrollment	$/Pupil	Free Lunch	Local Rev %	Score
1	Kent County Public Schools	1,751	$52,174	69.9%	20.2%	96
2	Somerset County Public Schools	2,773	$26,262	69.9%	16.7%	93
3	Dorchester County Public Schools	4,523	$24,096	100.0%	19.8%	78
4	Queen Anne's County Public Schools	7,387	$30,681	32.7%	28.4%	76
5	Garrett County Public Schools	3,500	$27,740	38.7%	29.0%	76
6	Caroline County Public Schools	5,667	$18,641	64.0%	19.1%	74
7	Wicomico County Public Schools	14,900	$17,780	53.8%	19.7%	72
8	Allegany County Public Schools	8,181	$17,465	59.1%	22.8%	66
9	Worcester County Public Schools	6,841	$21,280	53.2%	67.9%	65
10	Prince George's County Public Schools	131,133	$19,234	64.0%	36.8%	61
11	Baltimore City Public Schools	75,995	$18,272	73.8%	33.3%	54
12	Calvert County Public Schools	15,461	$21,252	25.0%	39.7%	51
13	Cecil County Public Schools	15,047	$17,169	50.4%	37.4%	48
14	Montgomery County Public Schools	160,554	$18,101	41.6%	66.0%	46
15	Howard County Public Schools	57,676	$17,971	27.2%	62.7%	44
16	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	84,452	$16,620	40.5%	56.4%	38
17	Washington County Public Schools	22,297	$15,838	50.7%	31.0%	36
18	Baltimore County Public Schools	111,082	$16,538	49.2%	47.3%	34
19	Charles County Public Schools	27,598	$16,671	42.6%	45.0%	31
20	Talbot County Public Schools	4,523	$14,943	51.9%	62.0%	30
21	Harford County Public Schools	38,037	$15,192	38.2%	52.6%	26
22	Carroll County Public Schools	25,787	$15,757	26.5%	54.2%	26
23	St. Mary's County Public Schools	17,493	$16,038	39.0%	45.1%	24
24	Frederick County Public Schools	46,899	$14,981	31.4%	50.4%	12

How the Equity Score Works

The equity score (0-100) evaluates four dimensions of school funding fairness. According to the National Center for Education Statistics F-33 Finance Survey (FY 2021-22, released in 2024), which covers more than 17,000 districts nationwide, local property wealth drives most of the spending differences the score captures; our methodology documents each weight:

Per-Pupil Spending (0-25)

Higher spending relative to peers

Need-Adjusted Spending (0-25)

Spending weighted by poverty level, rewards districts that spend more where need is greatest

Funding Diversity (0-25)

Less reliance on local property taxes, more state/federal support

Resource Access (0-25)

Lower student-teacher ratios = more individualized attention

National Equity Rankings → ← Back to Maryland

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.