Summary:
The city of Lothian, Maryland, is home to two public schools—Lothian Elementary School and Southern Middle School—both part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools district, serving a combined 1,183 students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade.
These two schools present contrasting strengths. Southern Middle School is the higher-ranked school overall, holding a 3-star rating and ranking in the 61st percentile among Maryland middle schools. Its standout feature is an exceptional Algebra I program, where 88.2% of students taking the End-of-Course exam are proficient—more than triple the district and state averages. However, the school struggles with chronic absenteeism (22.2%) and overall math proficiency (21.4%). Lothian Elementary, while ranked lower (48th percentile, 2 stars), excels in early-grade math: 48.7% of 3rd graders are proficient, outperforming district and state averages. Yet the school shows a sharp academic decline as students advance, with 5th-grade math proficiency dropping to just 14.6%. Lothian Elementary also spends more per student ($19,413) than Southern Middle ($17,906), but this higher investment has not yet translated into top-tier overall outcomes.
Key metrics reveal a community with shared challenges and distinct profiles. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at both schools, with Southern Middle’s rate of 22.2% exceeding the district average of 19.9%. Lothian Elementary has smaller class sizes (12.1:1 student-teacher ratio) compared to Southern Middle (13.7:1). In overall proficiency, Lothian Elementary leads in math (31.5% vs. 21.4%), while Southern Middle leads in English Language Arts (51.4% vs. 42.9%). The data suggests that the transition from elementary to middle school is a critical juncture, and that better alignment of curriculum and support between the two schools could help address the academic slide seen at Lothian Elementary and the attendance issues at Southern Middle.
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