Best Public Schools in Zip Code 20602

The seven public schools in zip code 20602 (Waldorf, MD), part of the Charles County Public Schools district, serve students from elementary through high school and face significant academic challenges, though a few standout schools offer bright spots for families.

Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary is the clear top performer, achieving a 2-star rating for three consecutive years and posting the highest math proficiency in the area (26.8%), nearly matching the state average. Its 3rd-grade math proficiency (40.4%) is the best of any grade level in the zip code. Mary B. Neal Elementary is the most consistently high-performing elementary school, also maintaining a 2-star rating and exceeding the district average in both math and English Language Arts (ELA). In contrast, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary and Eva Turner Elementary are the most struggling, with 0-star ratings, the lowest proficiency rates (e.g., only 9.2% and 9.4% proficient in math), and the highest chronic absenteeism rates (35.2% and 33.8%). St. Charles High School shows a mixed picture: despite a low 1-star rating and a 38.9% chronic absenteeism rate, its ELA proficiency (36.8%) is the highest in the zip code, and its graduation rate (89.4%) is close to the district average.

A key takeaway is that higher spending does not guarantee success—Dr. Gustavus Brown and Eva Turner both spend over $21,500 per student but sit at opposite ends of the performance spectrum. Additionally, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School has an intriguing "Algebra I anomaly": while only 10.5% of all students are proficient in math, 43% of those taking the Algebra I exam are proficient—far above the district average of 10.6%. Overall, the zip code's average math proficiency (15.1%) and ELA proficiency (29.6%) lag behind state averages, with socioeconomic challenges and chronic absenteeism strongly linked to lower performance.