The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in Math. The lowest is 19% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Vienna Elementary School
Vienna Elementary School serves a small, historic town on the Nanticoke River, part of a rural county on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The school is a regular public elementary school offering pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, and it is the only school within the town’s boundaries. The town itself has a very slow growth rate, a compact historic grid, and a waterfront park that functions as a civic anchor. The local economy no longer has a major commercial employer; the area is largely residential with a heritage-preservation orientation. Housing values in the zip code are below the state benchmark but above the national median. The school sits within Dorchester County Public Schools, and the district did not surface any recent parent-relevant changes from public sources.
Academically, the school’s state assessment results from the most recent testing year show a mixed picture across grades and subjects. In third-grade mathematics, a majority of students scored at or above the proficient level. By fourth grade, that share dropped to about a quarter of students. Fifth-grade math proficiency was also roughly a quarter. In English language arts, third-grade performance was stronger, with around three-quarters of students reaching proficiency. Fourth-grade ELA was lower, with under half proficient, while fifth-grade ELA improved to above half. Fifth-grade science results were low, with less than one in five students proficient. Because this is a single year of data with no prior trend to compare against, it is not possible to see whether these results reflect an upward or downward trajectory. A parent may want to ask the school about how these patterns align with curriculum changes or student supports across grades.
The school enrolls a small student body. All students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a high level of economic need across the school community. The student population is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Black students, Hispanic students, and students identifying as two or more races. No data were available on the share of students receiving special education services or identified as English learners, so a parent would need to follow up with the school for that information. The school is not a charter or magnet school; its status regarding Title I funding was not reported.
As an elementary school, Vienna does not have a graduation rate or postsecondary metrics, which is expected for its grade band. The neighbor comparison tool could not place the school’s proficiency relative to other districts in Dorchester County because the county contains only one district. That means the school’s results stand on their own without a local benchmark.
For a family considering this school, the key factors are the small size, the high economic need of the student body, and the uneven academic results, with third-grade reading and math showing solid proficiency but upper grades falling off. The town offers a quiet, historically oriented setting with minimal commercial activity and limited growth. Families looking for a tightly knit rural school environment may find it a fit, but those concerned about academic consistency across elementary grades may want to explore how the school addresses the drop in math proficiency between third and fourth grade and the low science outcomes.
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