Middle Schools in Charles County Public Schools

The nine middle schools in Charles County Public Schools serve grades 6-8 across a diverse suburban area in Maryland, with the district itself ranking in the 20th percentile statewide and earning a 1-star rating, indicating significant challenges compared to other districts.

Piccowaxen Middle School stands out as the top performer, holding the highest state rank (106th out of 339) and leading the district in both Math (20.8%) and English Language Arts (60.4%) proficiency. Theodore G. Davis Middle School and Milton M. Somers Middle School are also strong, both earning 3-star ratings with Davis excelling in advanced coursework and Somers showing consistent ELA scores. At the other end, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School and Phoenix International School of the Arts face the most challenges, with Stoddert posting the lowest ELA proficiency (36.3%) and Phoenix having the lowest Math proficiency (4.4%). Notably, General Smallwood Middle School has a remarkably high Algebra I proficiency rate (65.2%) but also the highest chronic absenteeism rate (35.2%), which likely contributes to its mid-to-low overall performance.

Key metrics reveal that spending does not directly correlate with success—the lowest-spending school, Theodore G. Davis ($15,169 per student), is a top performer, while the highest-spending school, General Smallwood ($20,543), struggles. Socioeconomic status is a strong predictor, with Piccowaxen having the lowest poverty rate (33.22%) and top scores, while Stoddert and Smallwood have the highest poverty rates (around 60%) and lower performance. Chronic absenteeism is a pervasive issue, with a district average of 26.6% and only two schools below 20%. Finally, the "middle school math cliff" is evident: 8th-grade Math proficiency drops sharply across most schools, likely because advanced students take Algebra I and are tested separately, as seen in the high Algebra I scores at Smallwood, Davis, and Piccowaxen.