Aberdeen High

Aberdeen High in Aberdeen, MD, is a large public high school serving 1,396 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Harford County Public Schools district, with over 51% of students from low-income households.

Academically, Aberdeen High presents a mixed picture. While its English Language Arts proficiency is generally on par with state averages, mathematics proficiency is a major concern, with only 12.5% of students proficient overall—far below the district average of 28.4%. However, there is a striking "Algebra II paradox": 63.5% of students taking the Algebra II End of Course exam are proficient, nearly double the district average and more than double the state average. This suggests that only the most mathematically capable students are enrolled in advanced math, while the majority struggle with foundational skills like Algebra I (7.3% proficient) and Geometry (4.5% proficient). Chronic absenteeism is another critical challenge, with 27.8% of students chronically absent—significantly higher than nearby Fallston High (16.4%) and Patterson Mill High School (14.0%), though lower than Edgewood High (38.0%) and Joppatowne High (40.1%).

Despite these challenges, Aberdeen High's graduation rate has improved to 91.1%, though it still lags behind the district average of 91.9% and top performers like Patterson Mill (94.9%). Its dropout rate of 7.1% is higher than the district average (5.7%) and schools like Havre de Grace High (4.9%). Per-student spending at $16,192 is in the middle of the pack compared to peers, suggesting that challenges stem more from factors like chronic absenteeism than funding. Notably, the nearby Center for Educational Opportunity serves a much smaller, at-risk population with far worse outcomes (42.3% graduation rate, 72.5% chronic absenteeism), highlighting that Aberdeen High serves a more mainstream student body despite being in the same area.