The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Colonel Richardson Middle School
Colonel Richardson Middle School is a regular public school serving grades six through eight in Federalsburg, a small, rural town in southern Caroline County. The school sits within the Caroline County Public Schools district, which operates a handful of schools across several small towns in the area. With a total enrollment that places it at a mid-sized scale for a middle school, Colonel Richardson draws its student body from Federalsburg and the surrounding rural areas.
Academically, the picture is mixed and varies sharply by subject. On the statewide Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP), the school’s English language arts results are the strongest story: across the three grade levels, a solid majority of students scored at the proficient level or above. In social studies, about half of eighth graders met the proficiency benchmark, a middle-of-the-road result. Science performance, measured by the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) for eighth graders, shows roughly a quarter of students reaching proficiency, a figure that gives a parent a clear area to ask about. The most notable challenge is in mathematics. In sixth and seventh grade, fewer than one in five students scored proficient; the eighth-grade math proficiency rate is sharply lower. The school also offers Algebra 1, and on that assessment a large majority of test takers were proficient, but the data covers only a single year and does not show a trend. No prior-year data is available for any subject at this level, so it is not possible to gauge whether performance is improving or declining. A parent may want to follow up with the school on math support and intervention strategies, particularly given the steep drop in eighth grade.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial black population, a smaller but notable Hispanic presence, and a multiracial group. The economic context is significant: a large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, signalling that the school serves a community with high poverty levels. Federalsburg itself is a historically working-class town with a low median household income, a flat population trend, and a mix of residential neighborhoods and industrial employers such as Crystal Steel Fabricators. Housing values in the area are well below both the state and national medians, and the town shows limited development pressure, with a small, stable housing stock and a small number of vacant units. This is not a high-growth or high-cost market; families moving here are likely seeking affordability and a slower pace.
The district’s per-pupil spending and student-teacher ratio are in line with rural Maryland norms, but no detailed information on course offerings, enrichment programs, or staffing was available for the school itself. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or special education and English learner populations was reported, so a parent interested in those areas would need to ask directly. The school is not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status was not provided, though the economic demographics would typically qualify it for federal support.
Colonel Richardson Middle School fits a family looking for a small-town, rural setting with affordable housing and a school that shows genuine strength in English language arts and social studies. The math results are a clear concern that warrants direct conversation with the school about curriculum, intervention, and how students are supported before they enter high school. The absence of trend data and program details means the school’s offerings and growth trajectory are not fully visible from the public record alone. A parent would want to visit, talk to teachers, and understand how the school addresses the academic gaps the assessments reveal, especially for students who will soon face high school math.
See more original research from School Decision →