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Public high school · Wicomico County Public Schools · Salisbury, Maryland

James M. Bennett High

James M. Bennett High rates 6.4, right at the middle of Wicomico County Public Schools's high schools, whose rated median is 6.4.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
6.4this school

6.4 on a one-to-ten scale; the Wicomico County Public Schools median is 6.4.

#726 of 1,363 schools in Maryland · Wicomico County Public Schools: 5 high schools rated, median 6.4

The brief

A Wicomico County Public Schools high school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 726 of 1,363 schools in Maryland and 19 of 25 in Wicomico County Public Schools.

James M. Bennett High is listed in Wicomico County Public Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math14%13 points below the Maryland average of 27%384 students tested · 2026 MCAP
Reading48%4 points below the Maryland average of 52%366 students tested · 2026 MCAP
Proficiency has fallen 29 points since 2021, to 31% in 2026, across a 18-year record (2009–2026).2026 MCAP; 30 test records from MD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
9.3
25% of the rating
Academics
4.7
25% of the rating
College Readiness
5.9
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.8
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 66% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 · 2026 MCAP · Medium confidence
  • 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 · 2026 MCAP · Medium confidence
  • 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)
State assessments · 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 21804; 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, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
James M. Bennett High and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$68,882
Median home value
$230,200
Median rent
$1,343/mo
College educated
28.1%
Homeownership
49.3%
Poverty rate
16.1%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 21804; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
43
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
25
Some Transit
Bike Score
39
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
2,783/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Salisbury. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Salisbury), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
4 AP courses
23.2% participation · state average 3.1 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
12 sports
6 boys' · 6 girls' · 13 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
45.3%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 6.9Compare →
  2. James M. Bennett Highthis school
    6.4
  3. 4.1Compare →
  4. 3.9Compare →
Three grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and one rates higher than James M. Bennett High.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does James M. Bennett High serve?

James M. Bennett High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend James M. Bennett High?

James M. Bennett High has an enrollment of approximately 1,379 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at James M. Bennett High?

The student-teacher ratio at James M. Bennett High is 14.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does James M. Bennett High rank in MD?

James M. Bennett High ranks #726 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is James M. Bennett High's MySchoolScout rating?

James M. Bennett High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.4 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 James M. Bennett High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, James M. Bennett High has 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is James M. Bennett High a charter school?

No, James M. Bennett High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is James M. Bennett High a Title I school?

No, James M. Bennett High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for James M. Bennett High?

45.3% of students at James M. Bennett High 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 facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,379
Student-teacher ratio
14.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
96
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Small City
County
Wicomico County
4-year graduation
81.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#19 of 25
Schools in district
25
District spending per student
$18,486
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
19.3%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 21804)
39,461
Area average commute
22.7 min
Area median age
32.2

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Maryland Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.