About

The Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) mission is to inspire, innovate & motivate. FCPS serves over 48,000 students and an estimated residential population of nearly 300,000 in 12 municipalities spread across 667 square miles. FCPS provides a diverse and inclusive learning environment, where excellence in college and career preparedness are paramount. The commitment to our community is to provide exceptional education and equity for "every child, every day".

Frederick County students consistently outpace their state and national peers in academic achievement measures. Students in our class of 2024 received $88 million in scholarship offers*. FCPS’s Class of 2025 graduation rate was 94.0% (compared to Maryland's 86.4% average), while our dropout rate was 3.4%(compared with the state's 9.9% average). We balance top-rate academics with the personal care and individual attention you would expect in a small-town community. Frederick County's investment in public education is an investment in our future. Our operating budget for FY2026 budget of $970,236,964 with over 47% of our funding coming from the local county government.

*All scholarship data is self-reported

Together, FCPS and our community are working to realize the increased academic achievement of ALL students, closing the gap between the highest and lowest performing students while providing an equitable learning environment for all.

FCPS Fast Facts

Data for number of schools, student numbers and demographics, and benefited staffing totals.

Notable Numbers

  • About 3,300 students participated in the SAT in 2025 marking a 6% increase in test-takers from 2024. Our mean 2025 SAT score was 1004, compared to Maryland public schools at 1003 and globally at 1029.
  • On a 1-5 star scale, 73% of our 63 state-rated schools achieved 4 or 5 stars (2024-2025). Across Maryland, only 43% of schools earned 4 stars or 5 stars.  Eleven schools are ranked in the top 10% of Maryland.
  • FCPS’s Class of 2025 graduation rate was a high 94.0% (compared to Maryland's 86.4% average), while our dropout rate was 3.4% (compared with the state's 9.9%).
  • Students in our class of 2024 received $88 million in scholarship offers.*

* Not all were accepted, as some students received more than one offer.

Students & Staff

  • September 30, 2025 enrollment is approximately 48,000 students.
  • Based on official September 30, 2025 enrollment data, the FCPS student demographics are: 47% White; 22% Hispanic/Latino; 15% Black or African American; 9% Asian; 8% Multiracial; less than 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native and Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian.
  • In the 2025-2026 school year, over 17,000 students (37%) were eligible for free or reduced-price meals, about 5,900 (12%) receive special education services, and English is not the primary language for over 3,700 (8%).
  • Of over 7,000 employees, nearly 3,000 are teachers, about 1,500 work in special education, more than 200 are counselors or psychologists and over 350 are paraprofessionals. The remainder are bus drivers, food service workers, custodians, media specialists, office staff and other central office support and administrative staff.