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Three adorable and diverse SMCPS Elementary Students
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About Us

Welcome to St. Mary's County Public Schools (SMCPS) where our students graduate ready to take on the challenges of college or careers.

With approximately 17,500 students, our school system is large enough to offer a wide variety of academic programs and services, yet small enough to maintain an atmosphere of friendliness, helpfulness, and personalized service.  

We understand that education must engage students and align to their interests and aspirations. To do this, we provide a tailored educational experience to our learners, offering choice of courses and academic pathways.  We are particularly proud of our signature academic pathways: the STEM Academy, The Academy of Global International Studies, The National Academy of Finance and our newest addition, the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts. Couple this with our James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center and the possibilities for our students reflect the needs of the 21st Century.

Great things are happening in our school system, check out the Annual Report to find out even more.

Our Commitments

Our work is driven by theses documents:

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Blueprint for Maryland's Future

The Blueprint for Maryland's Future Act is a piece of legislation intended to enhance and improve the state and local investment in, and school system operation of, Maryland's public schools. Learn more about the Maryland Blueprint with this website or by watching this video.

 

 

Student Facts (2021-2022)

Number of Schools

Type of School Number of Schools
Elementary 18
Public Charter 1
Middle 4
High 3
Career & Technology Center 1
Fairlead Academy 1

Enrollment 17,480

Race/Ethnicity Percentage of Student Base
White

62.16%

African American

18.54%

Hispanic

7.76%

Asian

<5%

American Indian/Alaska Native

<5%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

<5%

Two or More Races

8.71%

Students Receiving Special Services

Name of Program Percentage of Student Base
Title I (Elementary Only)

13.48%

Limited English Proficient

<5%

Free/Reduced Meals

31.17%

Special Education

10.52%

Attendance

 Type of School   Percentage of Student Base 
 Elementary  94.4%
 Middle  93.7%
 High  92.8%

 

Student Mobility (SY19)

 Name of Program   Percentage of Student Base 
 Elementary  19.8%
 Middle  15.8%
 High  14.4%

 

Our Staff

Teacher's average years of service is 13.2 years.

Type of Staff  Number of Staff 
 Professional Staff   1,516
 Classified Staff  776

 

Average Class Size

Grade  Number of Students 
 Pre-Kindergarten   13
 Kindergarten  17
 1-2  19
 3-5  21
 6-8  23
 9-12  21

 

Educational Pathways Enrollment 

Name of Pathways Number of Student Base
 Chesapeake Public Charter (K-8)  492
 Fairlead Academy (10-12)  109
 J.A. Forrest Center (9-12)  1,030 
 Academy of Finance (9-12)  78
 Academy of Visual & Performing Arts (9-11)  67 
 Global & International Studies (9-12)  96
 STEM Academies (5-12)  336

 

Class of 2022

Students Post Graduation Percentage of Student Base
Graduation Rate
(5-year Cohort, Class of 2021)
92.8%
Graduation Rate
(4-Year Cohort, Class of 2022)
 90.1%
 Dropout Rate   7.9%
 Attend a 4-Year College  30%
 Attend a 2-Year College  35%
 Attend a Trade/Technical School  3%
 Enter the Workforce  18%
 Enter the Military  6%
 Scholarships Offered  $31.5M

 

ELL Program

Approximately 320 students participate in the program for English Language Learners (ELL)

Early Childhood

St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) offers full-day Pre-Kindergarten 4 to children that reside in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, meet age requirements, and are income eligible.

  • A child must be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2023.
  • A family must verify their annual income is at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level.  
  • Families that are at 185% FPL will be served first.

2023-2024 Pre-Kindergarten Application Apply Now

For general questions, please contact the Department of Equity, Engagement, and Early Access.                   

(301) 475-5511, ext. 32136 or email cmwoodley@smcps.org.

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