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Central High

Public, Magnet Grades 9-12

185^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 19% of Maryland high schools

Summary

Central High in Capitol Heights, MD, is a public high school serving 754 students in grades 9 through 12 as part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district, where about 71% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The most critical issue at Central High is a severe chronic absenteeism rate of 57.6%, which is nearly double the district average of 30.2% and far higher than nearby schools like College Park Academy (11.5%). This attendance crisis is the primary driver of low academic performance, with only 7.3% of students proficient in math and 24.3% in English. Interestingly, the small group of students who reach advanced math courses perform well—17.6% are proficient in Geometry, exceeding the district average—but most students struggle with foundational skills. The school spends a substantial $22,522 per student and maintains a low 14:1 student-to-teacher ratio, yet these resources are not translating into results, especially when compared to Charles Herbert Flowers High, which spends $16,254 per student and achieves a 89.6% graduation rate.

There are some positive signs: the graduation rate has climbed from 55.4% in 2022-2023 to 76.4% in 2024-2025, and the school's state ranking improved from the 7th percentile to the 19th percentile in one year. However, the dropout rate has also spiked to 17.3%, suggesting that while some students are persisting, others are falling behind. The contrast with Academy of Health Sciences at PGCC, a 5-star school just 3.29 miles away with 100% English proficiency, highlights how school model and culture can dramatically impact outcomes, even within the same district and serving a similar community.

754

Students ?

14.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,522

Per pupil spending ?

71%

Free/discounted lunch ?

200 Cabin Branch Rd
Capitol Heights, MD 20743

(301) 499-7080

District: Prince George's County Public Schools

Feeder schools for Central High:

Elementary:	Capitol Heights Elementary
	Carmody Hills Elementary
	Cora L. Rice Elementary

Racial breakdown:

African American:

68.3%

Hispanic:

29.8%

White:

0.9%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 3rd percentile in 2012 → 19th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 16 percentile points since 2012

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (10% vs 38% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (19th percentile)

!English Language Arts scores 27 pts below the Maryland average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school10%

District avg24%

Maryland avg38%

185^th of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Bottom 19%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

18^th of 25High Schools in the Prince George's County Public Schools

22^nd of 25Prince George's 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	16.7	185 of 227	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	13.4	204 of 220	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	20.8	177 of 225	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	15.4	168 of 197	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	20.4	143 of 180	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	16.8	190 of 233	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	20.0	188 of 233	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	18.4	191 of 231	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	0.9	183 of 185	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	3.9	181 of 187	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	12.8	193 of 220	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	10.7	193 of 213	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	10.1	192 of 214	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	10.7	184 of 209	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	5.9	186 of 204	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	9.8	183 of 204	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	26.5	186 of 201	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts24%-27 vs state

Geometry18%-27 vs state

Algebra II9%-18 vs state

Mathematics7%-20 vs state

Algebra I6%-15 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, March 7, 2014

not ghetto Close Quote

Schools Near Central 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)	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 All Grades	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central High	Public, Magnet	9-12	200 Cabin Branch Rd	Capitol Heights	20743	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 499-7080	754	54	14.0	71.0%	7 (0.9%)	515 (68.3%)	225 (29.8%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	16.7	185^th of 227 public high schools	18.5%		13.4	204^th of 220 public high schools	7.3%	19	7.3	24.3	24.3	5.9	9.2	17.6	$22,522	$1,308	$21,215
Suitland High	Public, Magnet	9-12	5200 Silver Hill Rd	Suitland	20746	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 817-0500	1,847	116	15.9	94.7%	24 (1.3%)	1,475 (79.9%)	326 (17.7%)	7 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	11 (0.6%)	22.4	169^th of 227 public high schools	25.6%		16.9	186^th of 220 public high schools	15.5%	17	12.3	33.5	33.5	12.3			$21,395	$1,122	$20,273
Fairmont Heights High	Public	9-12	6501 Columbia Park Rd	Landover	20785	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 925-1360	1,090	70	15.5	96.3%	10 (0.9%)	609 (55.9%)	453 (41.6%)	12 (1.1%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	15.7	196^th of 227 public high schools	13.7%		15.6	193^rd of 220 public high schools	12.3%	3	3.7	30.2	30.2	4.7	0.7	0.0	$22,122	$1,694	$20,428
Academy of Health Sciences at PGCC	Public, Magnet	9-12	301 Largo Rd	Largo	20774	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 546-7247	462	25	18.4	50.2%	13 (2.8%)	317 (68.6%)	81 (17.5%)	43 (9.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	5 (1.1%)	90.7	3^rd of 227 public high schools	98.7%		85.6	4^th of 220 public high schools	98.2%	1	61.5	100.0	100.0	60.8	62.5		$21,076	$868	$20,207
International High school @ Largo	Public	9-12	505 Largo Rd	Upper Marlboro	20772	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 702-3810	354	32	11.2	94.9%	6 (1.7%)	18 (5.1%)	281 (79.4%)	49 (13.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11.5	210^th of 227 public high schools	7.5%		8.3	217^th of 220 public high schools	1.4%	7	3.7	15.0	15.0	3.7			$24,041	$2,095	$21,946
Largo High	Public, Magnet	9-12	505 Largo Rd	Upper Marlboro	20774	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 808-8880	1,159	76	15.2	64.4%	12 (1.0%)	930 (80.2%)	198 (17.1%)	8 (0.7%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.5%)	26.4	154^th of 227 public high schools	32.2%		28.9	139^th of 220 public high schools	36.8%	15	2.0	51.4	51.4	2.0			$20,217	$1,172	$19,046
Bladensburg High	Public, Magnet	9-12	4200 57th Ave	Bladensburg	20710	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(301) 887-6700	2,114	127	16.6	97.0%	25 (1.2%)	382 (18.1%)	1,636 (77.4%)	63 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	6 (0.3%)	16.6	188^th of 227 public high schools	17.2%		15.7	190^th of 220 public high schools	13.6%	2	2.7	35.5	35.5	3.9	0.6	0.0	$18,236	$1,424	$16,812
International High School @ Langley Park	Public	9-12	5150 Annapolis Rd	Bladensburg	20710	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 702-3910	368	30	12.4	97.3%	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.0%)	322 (87.5%)	33 (9.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10.9	215^th of 227 public high schools	5.3%		8.1	219^th of 220 public high schools	0.5%	4	3.5	16.1	16.1	6.8	2.0	0.0	$26,145	$1,684	$24,461
Charles Herbert Flowers High	Public, Magnet	9-12	10001 Ardwick-Ardmore Rd	Springdale	20774	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 636-8000	2,712	137	19.7	67.7%	23 (0.8%)	2,236 (82.4%)	345 (12.7%)	71 (2.6%)	6 (0.2%)	6 (0.2%)	25 (0.9%)	40.5	110^th of 227 public high schools	51.5%		54.3	53^rd of 220 public high schools	75.9%	57	12.8	62.5	62.5	12.8			$16,254	$959	$15,296
Parkdale High	Public, Magnet	9-12	6001 Good Luck Rd	Riverdale	20737	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 513-5700	2,588	153	16.9	96.8%	84 (3.2%)	592 (22.9%)	1,794 (69.3%)	101 (3.9%)	5 (0.2%)	4 (0.2%)	8 (0.3%)	21.8	170^th of 227 public high schools	25.1%		15.6	192^nd of 220 public high schools	12.7%	22	10.6	35.5	35.5	10.6			$18,256	$1,111	$17,144

Frequently Asked Questions about Central High

What district is Central High in?

Prince George's County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Central High?

Students at Central High are 68% African American, 30% Hispanic.

How many students attend Central High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 754 students attended Central High.

Is Central High a good school?

Central High ranks in the bottom 18.5% of Maryland high schools.

What schools feed into Central High?

Central High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Capitol Heights Elementary
Elementary : Carmody Hills Elementary
Elementary : Cora L. Rice Elementary

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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.