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#757 of 1,363 schools in MD

Dowell Elementary

Elementary School · Calvert County Public Schools · Lusby, MD

A Calvert County Public Schools elementary school where students score 4 points above what's typical for similar communities.

12680 H G Trueman Rd, Lusby, MD 20657

  • Math 39% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 54% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.7Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.25 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.9Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency38.6% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency53.6% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg+8.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+2.5 pts
Overall Proficiency46% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)42% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected+4.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile68th
Resources & Environment4.1Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.1:1
District spending per student$14,606
Chronic Absenteeism27.8%

Students at Dowell Elementary score 46% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 42%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency39%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency54%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 30 points since 2020, reaching 46% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2010
Math
92%
ELA
92%
2011
Math
94%
ELA
94%
2012
Math
88%
ELA
89%
2013
Math
84%
ELA
86%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
34%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
52%
ELA
49%
2018
Math
43%
ELA
45%
2019
Math
43%
ELA
45%
2020*
Math
15%
ELA
18%
2021*
Math
15%
ELA
18%
2022
Math
31%
ELA
38%
2025
Math
39%
ELA
54%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 54% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 56% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from MD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

47%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Dowell Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 18Car-Dependent
  • Bike 4Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average659/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$117,776

Median home value

$317,600

Median rent

$1,716/mo

College educated

29.4%

Homeownership

87.5%

Poverty rate

6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20657; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Patuxent Appeal Elementary CampusEnrollment path unverified6.2PK–51.6 mi659Compare →
Our Lady Star of the Sea SchoolPrivate · tuition5.9privatePK–82.2 mi165Compare →
Town Creek ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.7PK–54.2 mi223Compare →
Green Holly Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.0PK–54.6 mi500Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Calvert County Public Schools

Schools in district
25
Rank in district
#20 of 23
District spending per student
$14,606NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
5.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Dowell Elementary is listed in Calvert County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Dowell Elementary

Dowell Elementary is a public elementary school in Lusby, MD, part of Calvert County Public Schools, serving approximately 589 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.0 out of 10 and ranks #757 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 54% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Dowell Elementary

What grades does Dowell Elementary serve?

Dowell Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Dowell Elementary?

Dowell Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 589 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Dowell Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Dowell Elementary is 15.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Dowell Elementary rank in MD?

Dowell Elementary ranks #757 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Dowell Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Dowell Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Dowell Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Dowell Elementary has 54% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Dowell Elementary a charter school?

No, Dowell Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Dowell Elementary a Title I school?

No, Dowell Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Dowell Elementary?

47.0% of students at Dowell Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
589
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
39
Type
regular
Setting
Small Suburb
County
Calvert County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
27.8%
Area population (ZIP 20657)
20,519
Area average commute
40.5 min
Area median age
35.7
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MCAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MCAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 20657; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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