Boarding Schools in Maryland

What's Up in Maryland

This page features a list of boarding schools in Maryland (MD), USA.

Maryland is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. Baltimore is the largest city in the state and the capital is Annapolis. Among its occasional nicknames are Old Line State, the Free State, and the Chesapeake Bay State. It is named after the English Queen Henrietta Maria, known in England as Queen Mary, who was the wife of King Charles I.

Education in Maryland (MD), USA

The Maryland State Department of Education dedicates a world-class educational system that prepares all students for college and career success in the 21st century. With excellent stewardship from our divisions, we oversee state and federal programs that support the needs of a diverse population–students, teachers, principals, and other educators –throughout Maryland.

In 2020, Maryland was ranked fourth in the nation for “Best High Schools.” Some 212 of Maryland’s high schools ranked on six factors: College Readiness, College Curriculum Breadth, Math and Reading Proficiency, Math and Reading Performance, Underserved Student Performance, and Graduation Rate.  

In June 2010, the State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards, coordinated by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers. These standards define nationwide quality education. Since 2010, Maryland educators have developed a State curriculum in English language arts and mathematics that adheres to the Common Core Standards.  

The Maryland State Department of Education oversees public, private, and boarding school education in Maryland. The highest educational official in the State is the State Superintendent of Schools, currently Dr. Nancy Grasmick, who the State Board of Education appoints to a four-year office term. The Maryland General Assembly has given the Superintendent and State Board autonomy to make educationally related decisions, limiting its influence on public education’s day-to-day functions. Each county and county-equivalent in Maryland has a local Board of Education charged with running the public schools in that particular jurisdiction.

Maryland has a broad range of private and boarding schools. Many of these schools affiliate with various religious sects, including parochial schools of the Catholic Church, Quaker schools, Seventh-day Adventist schools, and Jewish schools. In 2003, Maryland changed its law to allow for the creation of publicly funded charter schools. However, their local Board of Education Charter schools must be approved and are not exempt from state laws on education, including collective bargaining laws.

General requirements were replaced with particular courses or courses with specific content. Fewer credits were reserved for electives. Moreover, since 2009, students have been required to take and pass the Maryland High School Assessment exams in algebra and data analysis, biology, and English to graduate. They also must perform 75 hours of volunteer community service approved by the State.

Maryland has a lot to offer its boarding school students. Along with receiving a world-class education, preparing them for success after school, students also have the opportunity to discover beautiful beaches and historical towns in Maryland.

Georgetown Preparatory School View profile »

The Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda is a boys’ high school. It has 54 teachers and a little less than 500 students. It is a Roman Catholic private school. The academic year lasts 173 days, and students take seven hours’ worth of classes every day.

Oldfields School View profile »

Oldfields School is a private girls’ school in Sparks Glencoe. It has 33 teachers, two/thirds of whom are full-time instructors, and 155 students in grades 7 – 12. That gives the school a student/teacher ratio of 4.7 The academic year lasts 183 days, and students take nine hours’ worth of classes every day.

McDonogh School View profile »

With over 150 teachers and not quite 1300 students, McDonogh School is the largest boarding school in Maryland. It serves students in grades K – 12. It is a coed private school in Owings Mills that has slightly more boys than girls.

West Nottingham Academy View profile »

The West Nottingham Academy in Colora is the smallest boarding school in Maryland, for it has 115 students and fewer than 19 teachers. It is an ethnically diverse school: About 45 percent of the students are white, a little more than 35 percent are Asian, 15 percent are black, with the remainder being Hispanic or multi-racial. It is a coed private high school. The academic year lasts 174 days, and students take seven hours’ worth of classes every day.

Sandy Spring Friends School View profile »

The Sandy Spring Friends School is located in the town of the same name. It has 72 teachers and over 570 students in the grades PK – 12, with most of them being in 7th grade or up. Sixty percent of the students are white, about 20 percent are black, and most of the rest are Asian or multi-racial. Friends School is a private coed school affiliated with the Friends or Quaker religion. The academic year lasts 171 days, and students take eight hours’ worth of classes every day.

St. James School View profile »

St. James School is located in Hagerstown, a town in the western part of Maryland. It is a coed private school that has 207 students and has over 30 teachers. It is an Episcopalian school that serves grades 8 – 12. The academic year lasts 170 days, and students take seven hours’ worth of classes every day.