Summary:
The Harford County Public Schools district oversees 11 high schools serving grades 9-12 across a mix of suburban and rural communities in Maryland, ranking 11th out of 25 districts in the state with a 3-star rating.
There is a clear performance divide among these schools. Harford Technical High is the standout academic leader, boasting the highest state ranking (56th out of 227, 4 stars), the best English Language Arts proficiency (85%), and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (7.5%). In contrast, Joppatowne High is the lowest-performing traditional high school, with a 1-star ranking, only 3.4% math proficiency, and a 40.1% chronic absenteeism rate. The Center for Educational Opportunity, an alternative program, faces the most severe challenges with a 42.3% graduation rate and 72.5% chronic absenteeism. Meanwhile, C. Milton Wright High has shown the most improvement, jumping from a 1-star to a 4-star ranking over three years.
Key metrics reveal that math proficiency is a district-wide weakness, with most schools scoring between 10-16%, while English Language Arts is stronger, averaging 61.1%. Chronic absenteeism is a powerful predictor of school health, as the three schools with the highest rates—Center for Educational Opportunity, Joppatowne, and Edgewood High—also have the lowest test scores and graduation rates. Interestingly, schools like Aberdeen High show a surprising strength in Algebra II proficiency (63.5%), suggesting advanced students perform well even as overall math scores lag. Schools in northern and western areas like Fallston High and North Harford High generally outperform those in southern areas, highlighting a geographic achievement gap tied to socioeconomic factors.
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