Summary:
In Sandy Spring, Maryland, there is one high school, Sherwood High, serving grades 9-12 as part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district, a highly-rated district in the state.
Sherwood High is a large school with 1,675 students and stands out for its exceptional performance in English Language Arts (ELA), where 79.3% of students are proficient—far exceeding the district average of 58.5% and the state average of 51.7%. This strength has earned the school a consistent top-tier state ranking in the 89th-90th percentile over the last three years, including a 5-star rating for the 2023-2024 school year. The school also boasts a strong graduation rate of 93.7% and a low dropout rate of 4.0%, both significantly better than district averages. However, the school faces a stark challenge in mathematics, with only 10.3% of students proficient, which is well below the district average of 36.9% and the state average of 27.1%. This creates a notable disparity between subjects, with ELA performance being a clear strength and math performance a significant weakness.
Despite high per-student spending of $20,093, the low math proficiency raises questions about resource allocation. Additionally, while the school has a low dropout rate, its chronic absenteeism rate of 24.1% is slightly above the district average of 22.6%, suggesting that many students are missing enough school to potentially impact their math performance. For parents, Sherwood High offers an outstanding environment for humanities-focused students, but those prioritizing STEM education may find the math outcomes a major concern.
Thank you for your feedback!