The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Pinehurst Elementary
Pinehurst Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in Salisbury, Maryland, as part of Wicomico County Public Schools. The school is a regular public elementary school, not a charter or magnet, and its student body of about that size for its grade band reflects the broader demographics of the city and county it draws from. The student population is racially and ethnically diverse, with Black students making up the largest share, followed by White students, Hispanic students, and smaller numbers of students who identify as two or more races, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common measure of economic need.
Salisbury itself is the county seat and the largest city on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, functioning as a commercial and institutional hub for the Delmarva Peninsula. Major employers include TidalHealth Peninsula Regional, Perdue Farms, Salisbury University, and Verizon, and the city has a historic downtown, a marina district along the Wicomico River, and a mix of older residential neighborhoods and suburban-style development. While the downtown core is walkable, much of the city is auto-oriented. The district recently opened a new elementary school in 2022 as a replacement facility for the area, and the district’s long-term facilities master plan guides ongoing school construction and renovation decisions that affect attendance boundaries and capacity.
On the most recent state assessments, which are a snapshot of performance in a single school year, Pinehurst Elementary’s proficiency rates were measured using Maryland’s MCAP tests for math and English language arts and the MISA for science. In math, the share of students scoring at or above the proficient level was relatively modest across third, fourth, and fifth grades. In English language arts, the shares were somewhat higher but still in a range that families may want to look into further with the school to understand how instruction and support are structured. In science, the share of fifth graders reaching proficiency was lower. Because this is a single year of data and no prior-year results were available in the source materials, it is not possible to assess whether these scores represent a trend or a baseline. The multi-year trend data showed only this single year, so nothing can be said about improvement or decline over time.
Since Pinehurst serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, nor is there data on chronic absenteeism or discipline available in the source materials. The school’s status as a Title I school was not indicated in the data, nor was there information about special education or English learner populations. The county-district comparison was not useful because there was only one district in that comparison set.
Pinehurst Elementary sits in a community anchored by a regional university and a strong healthcare and poultry economy, with a housing market where home values are below state and national averages and rents are also comparatively moderate. The school’s demographic profile reflects the broader Salisbury area, and its academic results are one piece of information for families weighing their options. A parent considering this school may want to ask the principal or visit the building to learn about curriculum, class size, and what academic support is in place, as the state data alone is thin.
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