Summary:
There are two public middle schools serving grades 6-8 in zip code 20640 (Indian Head, MD), both part of the Charles County Public Schools district: Matthew Henson Middle School (701 students) and General Smallwood Middle School (500 students).
The most striking difference between the two schools is in Algebra I performance. At General Smallwood Middle School, 65.2% of students taking the Algebra I End of Course exam were proficient in 2025-2026, far exceeding the district average of 10.6% and the state average of 21.3%. This is a remarkable outlier, suggesting a highly effective advanced math program. However, overall math proficiency at General Smallwood is just 16.6%, and its chronic absenteeism rate is a high 35.2%, well above the district average of 26.6%. In contrast, Matthew Henson Middle School has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate of 21.8% and outperforms General Smallwood in English Language Arts (47.2% proficient vs. 42.1%), making it the only school in the zip code to exceed the district ELA average. Matthew Henson also holds a slightly higher state ranking (195th vs. 208th).
Resource allocation tells a complex story. General Smallwood Middle School spends significantly more per student ($20,543 vs. $17,015) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (13.8:1 vs. 18.4:1), yet its overall academic outcomes are mixed. This suggests that higher spending and smaller classes do not automatically guarantee better results, especially when weighed against challenges like high chronic absenteeism. For parents, the key takeaway is that Matthew Henson Middle School offers stronger attendance culture and better ELA performance, while General Smallwood Middle School has a standout Algebra I program but struggles with absenteeism and overall math proficiency.
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