Stephen Decatur Middle

Stephen Decatur Middle operates as an average-sized intermediate school in Berlin, Maryland, one of the schools within Worcester County Public Schools. Current enrollment sits at 665 students spanning grades 7 through 8.

Worcester County Public Schools runs 13 schools in total, collectively educating 7,002 students. Stephen Decatur Middle is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, Stephen Decatur Middle records that White students make up the majority at 70%. Beyond that, the school records 11% Hispanic, 9% multiracial, 8% Black. That is noticeably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 79%.

In terms of school funding signals, Stephen Decatur Middle logs 52 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 12.8:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 14.3:1 average. Around 49% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

With demographic context factored in, Stephen Decatur Middle sits in the top 10% of Maryland schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 45.3%; actual is 62.9%, +17.6 points clear of the demographic baseline.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (Worcester County) logs that median household earnings sit near $81,745, roughly 35% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. In all, Worcester County runs 14 public schools (combined enrollment of about 7,002 students), of which Stephen Decatur Middle is one.

The closest other public school is Stephen Decatur High, roughly 0.3 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 5 other public schools cluster around Stephen Decatur Middle. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Stephen Decatur Middle at 3rd of 6; the average score across the group is 64.0%.

The school occupies a town-based site.

Looking at the recent track record. Stephen Decatur Middle's enrollment has remained close to its prior level since 2018, when it stood at 657 (now 665). White enrollment moved from 74% to 70% across the same window.

Inside the community feed, the feed for Stephen Decatur Middle typically covers open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.