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Average

#577 of 1,363 schools in MD

Top 42% in state

E. Russell Hicks Middle

Middle School · Washington County Public Schools · Hagerstown, MD

A Washington County Public Schools middle school where students score 17 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1321 S Potomac St, Hagerstown, MD 21740

  • Math 27% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 54% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.8Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-3.9 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics8.2Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency27.2% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54.4% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+3.3 pts
Overall Proficiency41% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)24% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected+16.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile73th
Resources & Environment4.9Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.5:1
District spending per student$17,937
Chronic Absenteeism36.6%

Students at E. Russell Hicks Middle score 41% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 24%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency27%(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 21 points since 2020, reaching 41% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
81%
ELA
84%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
88%
2011
Math
85%
ELA
85%
2012
Math
79%
ELA
84%
2013
Math
72%
ELA
83%
2014
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2015
Math
31%
ELA
36%
2016
Math
35%
ELA
39%
2018
Math
35%
ELA
48%
2019
Math
35%
ELA
48%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
31%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
31%
2022
Math
20%
ELA
44%
2025
Math
27%
ELA
54%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 57% (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

73.8%

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 E. Russell Hicks Middle 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 44Car-Dependent
  • Transit 15Minimal Transit
  • Bike 40Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,177/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Hagerstown), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$59,410

Median home value

$241,600

Median rent

$1,031/mo

College educated

20.1%

Homeownership

55.2%

Poverty rate

17.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 21740; 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
Truth Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.4privatePK–122.4 mi58Compare →
Western Heights MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.96–83.1 mi887Compare →
Marshall Street SchoolEnrollment path unverified2.5PK–123.2 mi53Compare →
Northern MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.56–83.6 mi822Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Washington County Public Schools

Schools in district
43
Rank in district
#24 of 42
District spending per student
$17,937NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

E. Russell Hicks Middle is listed in Washington County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About E. Russell Hicks Middle

E. Russell Hicks Middle is a public middle school in Hagerstown, MD, part of Washington County Public Schools, serving approximately 827 students in grades 6th-8th with a 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.8 out of 10 and ranks #577 of 1,363 schools in MD.

State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about E. Russell Hicks Middle

What grades does E. Russell Hicks Middle serve?

E. Russell Hicks Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend E. Russell Hicks Middle?

E. Russell Hicks Middle has an enrollment of approximately 827 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at E. Russell Hicks Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at E. Russell Hicks Middle is 14.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does E. Russell Hicks Middle rank in MD?

E. Russell Hicks Middle ranks #577 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is E. Russell Hicks Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

E. Russell Hicks Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.8 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 E. Russell Hicks Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, E. Russell Hicks Middle has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is E. Russell Hicks Middle a charter school?

No, E. Russell Hicks Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is E. Russell Hicks Middle a Title I school?

No, E. Russell Hicks Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for E. Russell Hicks Middle?

73.8% of students at E. Russell Hicks Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
827
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
57
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Washington County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
36.6%
Area population (ZIP 21740)
63,140
Area average commute
28.1 min
Area median age
38.8
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 21740; 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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