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Henry E. Lackey High School

Q: Is Henry E. Lackey High School a good school?

Henry E. Lackey High School ranks 145 th of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

145^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 36% of Maryland high schools

Summary

Henry E. Lackey High School in Indian Head, MD, serves 1,033 students in grades 9-12 and is part of the Charles County Public Schools district, where 59.63% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, the highest rate among its in-district peers.

One of the school's standout strengths is its English Language Arts (ELA) performance, with 52.2% of students proficient in the 2025-2026 school year—above the district average of 45.6% and competitive with nearby schools like Westlake High School (48.2%). However, math proficiency is critically low at just 5.3%, compared to the state average of 27.1%, and Algebra I proficiency is only 2.5%. The school also faces a severe challenge with chronic absenteeism, which stands at 42.5%—nearly 1.6 times higher than the district average of 26.6% and significantly above all nearby schools, such as North Point High School (20.6%). This absenteeism is strongly linked to academic struggles, particularly in math, where consistent attendance is crucial. Additionally, the graduation rate has declined from 92.6% in 2021-2022 to 85.4% in 2024-2025, below the district average of 90.3%, while the dropout rate has risen to 8.0%.

Despite these challenges, the school's state ranking has improved over the last three years, moving from the 12th percentile to the 36th percentile, suggesting recent interventions may be gaining traction. Notably, the school spends $19,573 per student, higher than better-performing peers like La Plata High School ($17,385), indicating that funding alone isn't the issue. Compared to its closest peer, Maurice J. McDonough High School (5.25 miles away), which has a lower poverty rate (40.93%) and absenteeism (30.1%), Lackey's performance highlights the profound impact of these factors on student outcomes.

1,033

Students ?

16.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,573

Per pupil spending ?

59.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3000 Chicamuxen Rd
Indian Head, MD 20640

(301) 743-5431

District: Charles County Public Schools

Feeder schools for Henry E. Lackey High School:

Elementary:	Gale-Bailey Elementary School
	Indian Head Elementary School
	J. C. Parks Elementary School
	Mt Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School
Middle:	General Smallwood Middle School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

56.0%

White:

21.7%

Hispanic:

11.4%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Henry E. Lackey High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 46th percentile in 2014 → 36th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (19% vs 38% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 10 percentile points since 2014

!Mathematics scores 22 pts below the Maryland average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school19%

District avg29%

Maryland avg38%

145^th of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Bottom 36%▲ up 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 30% (2016) to bottom 36% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 8High Schools in the Charles County Public Schools

20^th of 25Charles 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	29.5	145 of 227	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	23.2	157 of 220	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.7	129 of 146	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.7	112 of 225	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	20.3	126 of 138	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	17.2	162 of 197	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	22.8	140 of 180	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	33.4	164 of 233	29.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	39.6	152 of 233	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	63.6	124 of 231	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2013	42.8	121 of 185	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2012	37.1	133 of 187	28.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	25.8	151 of 183	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	34.9	167 of 220	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	39.7	152 of 213	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	50.3	139 of 214	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	32.5	147 of 209	29.7%	★★☆☆☆
2006	51.1	109 of 204	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2005	37.8	132 of 204	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2004	42.3	117 of 201	41.8%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	27.8	13 of 14	7.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	36.6	26 of 31	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Female (2021)16th percentile

African American (2021)7th percentile

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts52%~ state avg

Algebra II16%-11 vs state

Mathematics5%-22 vs state

Algebra I2%-19 vs state

2.3

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, December 19, 2017

My (gifted) daughter has only been at the school a few weeks. We heard pretty negative things about the school but we've been pleasantly surprised. We review her class work and homework every night and we find the instruction and homework to be appropriate, challenging, and engaging. She likes the other students. Yes, some are poor but they are good kids and very funny. Yes, a few are jerks but the teachers seem very committed and many of the kids are trying to get as much out of school as they can. The school is very nice and new on the inside and the staff are very personable and helpful. Close Quote

by a teacher
Tuesday, January 3, 2012

I'm a former Lackey teacher. My synopsis of Lackey is that it is a dysfunctional school in a failing district. For a more thorough critique, see my page at http://gcrhoads.byethost4.com/lackey.html Close Quote

by a student
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

THIS SCHOOL IS HORRIBLE! IF YOU PLAN TO SEND YOUR KIDS HERE, THEN THINK AGAIN! SEND YOUR KIDS TO NORTH POINT, LA PLATA, OR MCDONUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THIS SCHOOL: RUN MAN RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Close Quote

Schools Near Henry E. Lackey High School

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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 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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	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 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	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 Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Henry E. Lackey High School	Public	9-12	3000 Chicamuxen Rd	Indian Head	20640	Charles County	Charles County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 743-5431	1,033	63	16.3	59.6%	224 (21.7%)	578 (56.0%)	118 (11.4%)	18 (1.7%)	3 (0.3%)	4 (0.4%)	87 (8.4%)	29.5	145^th of 227 public high schools	36.1%		23.2	157^th of 220 public high schools	28.6%	12			5.3			52.2	52.2	2.5	16.4		$19,573	$634	$18,939
Maurice J. McDonough High School	Public	9-12	7165 Marshall Corner Rd	Pomfret	20675	Charles County	Charles County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 934-2944	1,163	74	15.7	40.9%	241 (20.7%)	618 (53.1%)	191 (16.4%)	19 (1.6%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	84 (7.2%)	40.8	106^th of 227 public high schools	53.3%		40.2	106^th of 220 public high schools	51.8%				3.5			68.6	68.6	2.5	6.8		$18,227	$504	$17,723
Robert D. Stethem Educational Center	Public	5-12	7775 Marshall Corner Rd	Pomfret	20675	Charles County	Charles County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 932-1003	0	37	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	9.6	216^th of 227 public high schools	4.8%					(n/a)	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	6.3	19.2	10.3	0.0		0.0	$7,455	$347	$7,108
Westlake High School	Public	9-12	3300 Middletown Rd	Waldorf	20603	Charles County	Charles County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 645-8857	1,216	74	16.4	51.2%	38 (3.1%)	888 (73.0%)	141 (11.6%)	61 (5.0%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	82 (6.7%)	25.3	161^st of 227 public high schools	29.1%		24.2	154^th of 220 public high schools	30.0%	7			3.6			48.2	48.2	3.0	7.4		$17,638	$641	$16,997
North Point High School	Public	9-12	2500 Davis Rd	Waldorf	20603	Charles County	Charles County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 753-1759	1,960	127	15.4	35.8%	183 (9.3%)	1,267 (64.6%)	235 (12.0%)	114 (5.8%)	8 (0.4%)	9 (0.5%)	141 (7.2%)	42.7	97^th of 227 public high schools	57.3%		45.5	85^th of 220 public high schools	61.4%	12			6.0			69.8	69.8	3.5	11.2		$17,647	$497	$17,150
La Plata High School	Public	9-12	6035 Radio Station Rd	La Plata	20646	Charles County	Charles County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 934-1100	1,217	74	16.4	31.0%	641 (52.7%)	326 (26.8%)	114 (9.4%)	31 (2.5%)	4 (0.3%)	4 (0.3%)	96 (7.9%)	39.8	113^th of 227 public high schools	50.2%		44.7	88^th of 220 public high schools	60.0%	25			5.3			63.0	63.0	1.7	10.0		$17,385	$350	$17,034
St. Charles High School	Public	9-12	5305 Piney Church Rd	Waldorf	20602	Charles County	Charles County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 753-2090	1,617	96	16.8	50.3%	95 (5.9%)	1,160 (71.7%)	222 (13.7%)	26 (1.6%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	111 (6.9%)	19.3	175^th of 227 public high schools	22.9%		25.6	149^th of 220 public high schools	32.3%	26			5.7			36.8	36.8	4.3	12.9		$16,666	$297	$16,369
Thomas Stone High School	Public	9-12	3785 Leonardtown Rd	Waldorf	20601	Charles County	Charles County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 645-2601	1,230	85	14.4	56.4%	76 (6.2%)	781 (63.5%)	270 (22.0%)	23 (1.9%)	3 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	74 (6.0%)	18.2	177^th of 227 public high schools	22.0%		18.8	176^th of 220 public high schools	20.0%	1			0.6			38.9	38.9	0.0	3.2		$21,315	$1,293	$20,022
Friendly High	Public	9-12	10000 Allentown Rd	Fort Washington	20744	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 449-4900	894	61	14.6	63.5%	35 (3.9%)	468 (52.3%)	361 (40.4%)	15 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	10 (1.1%)	16.6	186^th of 227 public high schools	18.1%		19.1	170^th of 220 public high schools	22.7%	16			2.1			35.5	35.5	2.1			$21,447	$1,472	$19,975
Gwynn Park High	Public, Magnet	9-12	13800 Brandywine Rd	Brandywine	20613	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 372-0140	1,147	67	17.1	47.7%	26 (2.3%)	865 (75.4%)	199 (17.3%)	20 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (0.7%)	28 (2.4%)	26.3	155^th of 227 public high schools	31.7%		19.9	168^th of 220 public high schools	23.6%	13			8.7			46.4	46.4	8.7			$18,660	$1,061	$17,599

Frequently Asked Questions about Henry E. Lackey High School

How many students attend Henry E. Lackey High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,033 students attended Henry E. Lackey High School.

What schools feed into Henry E. Lackey High School?

Henry E. Lackey High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Gale-Bailey Elementary School
Elementary : Indian Head Elementary School
Elementary : J. C. Parks Elementary School
Elementary : Mt Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School
Middle : General Smallwood Middle School

Is Henry E. Lackey High School a good school?

Henry E. Lackey High School ranks 145^th of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Henry E. Lackey High School?

Students at Henry E. Lackey High School are 56% African American, 22% White, 11% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Henry E. Lackey High School in?

Charles County Public Schools

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Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresNewJul 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.