Isaac J. Gourdine Middle

Isaac J. Gourdine Middle is a public middle school in Fort Washington, Maryland, serving 567 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district, which is ranked 21 out of 24 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite spending significantly more per student ($18,689) compared to nearby schools, Isaac J. Gourdine Middle consistently ranks in the bottom half of Maryland middle schools, with only 5.4% of students proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 23.3% statewide and 10.7% in the district. The school's performance is particularly low for male students, African American students, Hispanic students, and students from low-income families, with these subgroups ranking in the bottom 25% of Maryland middle schools. Nearby schools with similar demographics, such as Walker Mill Middle, outperform Isaac J. Gourdine Middle on state assessments.

The high percentage of students from low-income families (74.6%) and the school's location within the low-performing Prince George's County Public Schools district may be contributing factors to the school's consistently low academic performance. Despite the higher per-student spending and the district's efforts to support low-performing schools, Isaac J. Gourdine Middle's performance has remained consistently in the bottom quarter of Maryland middle schools over the past 10 years, suggesting that additional resources alone may not be the sole solution to improving student outcomes.