Summary:
Zip code 20646 in La Plata, Maryland, is home to a single high school, La Plata High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 and is part of the Charles County Public Schools district.
La Plata High School presents a fascinating paradox for parents. On one hand, it is a standout performer in English Language Arts (ELA), with 63% of students proficient in the 2025-2026 school year—significantly outpacing both the district (45.6%) and state (51.7%) averages. The school also boasts a strong 94.7% graduation rate, well above the district average of 90.3%, and a lower dropout rate of 3.2%. On the other hand, the school struggles profoundly in mathematics, with only 5.3% of all students proficient overall. This is driven by an alarmingly low 1.7% proficiency rate in Algebra I, compared to 21.3% statewide. This extreme disparity between ELA and math performance is the school's most defining characteristic.
Despite these challenges, the school's overall state ranking has declined from the 67th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 50th percentile in 2025-2026, likely due to the heavy weight of math scores in the ranking algorithm. The school also faces a chronic absenteeism rate of 25.6% and a moderate free and reduced lunch rate of 30.98%. However, the fact that La Plata High School achieves a high graduation rate and excellent ELA scores despite these hurdles suggests effective support systems are in place. The key takeaway for parents is that the school excels in literacy and student retention, but a critical focus on improving foundational math instruction is needed to ensure balanced academic success for all students.
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