Northwestern High

Northwestern High in Hyattsville, MD, is a large traditional public high school serving 2,396 students in grades 9-12 within the Prince George's County Public Schools district, where 96.37% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting extremely high economic need.

Northwestern faces significant challenges, most notably an exceptionally high dropout rate of 27.7%—the highest among nearby schools and nearly double the district average of 15.9%. This is closely tied to a chronic absenteeism crisis, with 43.4% of students missing significant school, though this has improved from 57.5% the previous year. The graduation rate sits at 68.8%, well below the district average of 78.9% and far behind high-performing peers like Eleanor Roosevelt High (88.7%) and Montgomery Blair High (85.4%). However, there are some positive signs: math proficiency improved dramatically from 7.3% to 13.9%, slightly above the district average and notably higher than schools like Bladensburg High (2.7%) and Fairmont Heights High (3.7%). The school also spends $18,475 per student, more than several nearby schools, yet outcomes remain low, highlighting resource allocation challenges.

Despite these struggles, Northwestern has shown a slight upward trend in its state ranking, climbing to the 30th percentile in 2025-2026 after hitting a low of the 6th percentile in 2023-2024. This improvement, combined with reduced chronic absenteeism and gains in math, suggests recent interventions may be starting to have a small positive impact. The contrast with Eleanor Roosevelt High, just 4.75 miles away with a 62.89% free/reduced lunch rate and 88.7% graduation rate, underscores how socioeconomic factors deeply influence school performance. For parents, the key takeaway is that Northwestern is a school under stress, but one where targeted efforts in math instruction and attendance are beginning to show promise.