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Southern High

Q: Is Southern High a good school?

Southern High ranks 96 th of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend Southern High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,080 students attended Southern High.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Southern High?

Students at Southern High are 60% White, 26% Hispanic, 8% African American, 5% Two or more races.

Q: What schools feed into Southern High?

Southern High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Deale Elementary Elementary : Lothian Elementary Elementary : Shady Side Elementary Elementary : Traceys Elementary Middle : Southern Middle

Public Grades 9-12

96^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 58% of Maryland high schools

Summary

Southern High in Harwood, MD, is a public high school serving 1,080 students in grades 9 through 12 as part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools district, located in a suburban area with moderate economic diversity (41.48% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch).

Southern High is a school of stark contrasts, excelling in English Language Arts (ELA) while facing a persistent challenge in mathematics. Its ELA proficiency rate of 64.5% significantly outperforms the district average of 55.9% and the state average of 51.7%, even surpassing nearby Annapolis High (53.4%). However, its math proficiency rate of just 5.2% is alarmingly low—12.4 times lower than its ELA score—and far below the district average of around 25-29%. This extreme gap is much wider than at nearby high-performing peers like Crofton High School (87.4% ELA vs. 16.6% math) and South River High (86.8% ELA vs. 22.2% math). Despite this math struggle, Southern High boasts a strong graduation rate of 92.6% and a very low dropout rate of 3.2%, outperforming Annapolis High (82.7% graduation, 14.4% dropout) and the district average dropout rate of 7.3%.

Chronic absenteeism remains a concern at 25.5%, higher than the district average of 19.9%, though it has been improving from a peak of 35.4% in 2020-2021. The school's per-student spending of $19,270 is above the district average and higher than Crofton High School ($14,834) and South River High ($17,738), indicating that funding alone isn't the issue. For parents, Southern High offers a strong ELA program and a supportive environment that keeps students on track to graduate, but the math program requires a significant overhaul to match its other successes.

1,080

Students ?

16.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,270

Per pupil spending ?

41.5%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

4400 Solomons Island Rd
Harwood, MD 20776-9504

(410) 867-7100

District: Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Feeder schools for Southern High:

Elementary:	Deale Elementary
	Lothian Elementary
	Shady Side Elementary
	Traceys Elementary
Middle:	Southern Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.5%

Hispanic:

26.2%

African American:

8.1%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Southern High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 31st percentile in 2023 → 58th in 2026

Strengths

✓93% graduate within 4 years

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 58th (2026) from a 31st-percentile low (2023)

✓Above the Maryland median (58th percentile)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (27% vs 38% meeting standards)

!Mathematics scores 22 pts below the Maryland average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school27%

District avg42%

Maryland avg38%

96^th of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Top 42%▼ down 20 pts since 2016

From top 23% (2016) to top 42% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

8^th of 16High Schools in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools

13^th of 24Anne Arundel County Public Schools among Maryland districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2026	43.3	96 of 227	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.7	71 of 220	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.1	45 of 146	69.2%	★★★★☆
2023	38.2	87 of 127	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	49.9	69 of 225	69.3%	★★★★☆
2019	55.4	57 of 138	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.0	44 of 197	77.7%	★★★★☆
2017	64.5	43 of 180	76.1%	★★★★☆
2016	67.9	53 of 233	77.3%	★★★★☆
2015	61.5	70 of 233	70.0%	★★★★☆
2014	76.8	61 of 231	73.6%	★★★★☆
2013	70.4	66 of 185	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	70.6	64 of 187	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2011	69.9	61 of 183	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2010	77.4	48 of 220	78.2%	★★★★☆
2009	80.9	21 of 213	90.1%	★★★★★
2008	82.7	18 of 214	91.6%	★★★★★
2007	67.4	60 of 209	71.3%	★★★★☆
2006	66.2	55 of 204	73.0%	★★★★☆
2005	54.6	84 of 204	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2004	48.6	85 of 201	57.7%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts64%+13 vs state

Mathematics5%-22 vs state

Algebra I5%-16 vs state

★

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Schools Near Southern High

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAP Mathematics (2026)				MCAP English Language Arts (2026)					MCAP Algebra I (2026)	MCAP Algebra II (2026)	MCAP Geometry (2026)	MCAP Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Algebra II End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southern High	Public	9-12	4400 Solomons Island Rd	Harwood	20776	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 867-7100	1,080	67	16.1	41.5%	643 (59.5%)	87 (8.1%)	283 (26.2%)	9 (0.8%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	53 (4.9%)	43.3	96^th of 227 public high schools	57.7%		50.7	71^st of 220 public high schools	67.7%	25				5.2				64.5	64.5	5.2				$19,270	$1,384	$17,887
Center of Applied Technology-South	Public	9-12	211 Central Ave E	Edgewater	21037	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 956-5900	0	19	.0	—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
South River High	Public, Magnet	9-12	201 Central Ave E	Edgewater	21037	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(410) 956-5600	1,680	98	17.1	20.2%	1,178 (70.1%)	75 (4.5%)	261 (15.5%)	77 (4.6%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	86 (5.1%)	72	20^th of 227 public high schools	91.2%		70.6	24^th of 220 public high schools	89.1%	4				22.2				86.8	86.8	22.2				$17,738	$1,180	$16,558
Annapolis High	Public, Magnet	9-12	2700 Riva Rd	Annapolis	21401	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(410) 266-5240	2,075	140	14.8	62.6%	460 (22.2%)	472 (22.7%)	1,032 (49.7%)	41 (2.0%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	58 (2.8%)	32	137^th of 227 public high schools	39.6%		26.5	146^th of 220 public high schools	33.6%	9				3.7				53.4	53.4	3.7				$17,669	$1,280	$16,389
Dr. Henry A. Wise Junior High	Public	9-12	12650 Brooke Ln	Upper Marlboro	20772	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 780-2100	2,291	121	18.9	57.9%	44 (1.9%)	1,703 (74.3%)	497 (21.7%)	9 (0.4%)	10 (0.4%)	3 (0.1%)	24 (1.0%)	30.3	143^rd of 227 public high schools	37.0%		26.7	145^th of 220 public high schools	34.1%	2				7.4				54.0	54.0	7.4				$17,819	$1,031	$16,788
Crofton High School	Public	9-12	2291 Davidsonville Road	Gambrills	21054	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 451-5300	1,906	99	19.3	17.3%	975 (51.2%)	411 (21.6%)	219 (11.5%)	159 (8.3%)	4 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	125 (6.6%)	69.7	22^nd of 227 public high schools	90.3%		75.1	17^th of 220 public high schools	92.3%	5				16.6				87.4	87.4	16.6				$14,834	$1,075	$13,759
Studio 39	Public	9-12	291 Locust Avenue	Annapolis	21401	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 280-1501	0	2	.0	—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Phoenix Academy	Public	6-12	245 Clay Street	Annapolis	21401	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 222-1650	64	37	1.7	81.3%	12 (18.8%)	38 (59.4%)	12 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.1%)	8.7	222^nd of 227 public high schools	2.2%		8.3	216^th of 220 public high schools	1.8%	6		< 5%	0.0	< 5%		0.0	0.0	7.7	2.1	0.0			0.0	$41,452	$4,298	$37,154
Bowie High	Public	9-12	15200 Annapolis Rd	Bowie	20715	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 805-2600	2,580	135	19.1	52.8%	183 (7.1%)	1,714 (66.4%)	533 (20.7%)	82 (3.2%)	9 (0.3%)	8 (0.3%)	51 (2.0%)	26.1	158^th of 227 public high schools	30.4%		27.8	141^st of 220 public high schools	35.9%	17				5.2				53.4	53.4	4.8	3.8	14.4		$16,630	$1,145	$15,485
Mary Moss at Adams Academy	Public	6-12	1411 Cedar Park Rd	Annapolis	21401	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 222-1639	50	20	2.5	86.0%	10 (20.0%)	31 (62.0%)	5 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (8.0%)								(n/a)				0.0					0.0

Frequently Asked Questions about Southern High

Is Southern High a good school?

Southern High ranks 96^th of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Southern High in?

Anne Arundel County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Southern High?

Students at Southern High are 60% White, 26% Hispanic, 8% African American, 5% Two or more races.

How many students attend Southern High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,080 students attended Southern High.

What schools feed into Southern High?

Southern High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Deale Elementary
Elementary : Lothian Elementary
Elementary : Shady Side Elementary
Elementary : Traceys Elementary
Middle : Southern Middle

Rate Southern High!

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Schools in Harwood, MD

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Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresJul 28, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCAP test scoresAug 26, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.