CUMBERLAND - Schools with a significant number of students from low-income families can perform as well or better than schools with a wealthier student population, according to a recent report for the Maryland Public Policy Institute.  

The study showed that a dozen of the state's lower-income elementary schools, including two in Allegany County and three in Garrett County, "... were in the top third of schools in Maryland that qualify for free and reduced priced meals, and scored in the top third of all schools in at least one grade level and subject area."

 "These schools deserve more positive press, and it shows that 'demography is not destiny,' " said Megan Farnsworth, who generated the report.  

According to her findings, the Maryland School Assessment math scores of third-graders at Beall Elementary were among the top third in the state, as well as the reading scores of fifth-grade students from Cresaptown Elementary.

In Garrett County, fifth-graders from Friendsville Elementary and third-graders at Kitzmiller Elementary also ranked in the top third statewide for math, while fifth-graders' reading scores at Yough Glades Elementary were in the top third.  

Kitzmiller Elementary had the highest percentage (69 percent) of students on free and reduced meals of all 12 schools listed in the report. Friendsville had 59 percent, Yough Glades 58 percent, Cresaptown 52 percent, and Beall 51 percent.  

"This is evidence that Allegany County is committed to success for all students and we don't make excuses because we don't have the resources others may have," said Helen Ann Warnick, director of elementary education.

"It also shows that we have higher expectations for our teachers," she said.  

The study found that all 12 schools were similar in the ways they used to help increase student achievement, including high academic expectations, collaboration of staff at all grade levels, making parents key partners in their children's education, relying on continuing assessments and records to learn what students know or need to be re-taught, a dedicated and knowledgeable staff, and a principal who's a strong instructional leader.

"These are the things we try to instill in all of our schools," said William AuMiller, Allegany County's superintendent of schools.

"I'm not surprised that Beall and Cresaptown, as well as our other schools, do so well," he said. "All of those teachers and staff believe kids can learn, no matter what their income level."  AuMiller noted that students in schools that qualify for free and reduced meal prices are held to the same high expectations as any other student in the county. 

 "So we've known that economics is not a determining factor when is comes to academics," he said.  Although Hancock Elementary in Washington County is listed as "in need of improvement" on the state's annual "report card," third-graders scored in the top third in the state on the MSA math testing, and the school's fifth-graders scored in the top third in both math and reading.  

The report concluded, "These schools prove that it is possible for low-income students to perform as well, and sometimes even better than schools with wealthier peers. None of these schools is perfect, however. Many of the schools were high-scoring in only one grade level or subject area. But they were still out-performing many other schools. There are lessons to be learned in their success."  

Sam Shawver can be contacted at sshawver@times-news.com.