Summary:
Zip code 20705, located in Beltsville, Maryland, is home to a single high school, High Point High, which serves grades 9 through 12 as part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district.
High Point High is a large school with over 3,000 students, and it faces significant challenges. The most pressing issue is a crisis of student engagement, with a dropout rate of 29.3% and a chronic absenteeism rate of 49.2%, both far worse than district averages. This is coupled with a graduation rate of just 63.0%, well below the district's 78.9%. Academically, the school struggles, particularly in math, where only 6.2% of students are proficient overall, and Algebra II proficiency dropped to 0% in the most recent year. English Language Arts performance is comparatively stronger at 31.8% proficiency, but still lags behind state averages. The school serves an exceptionally high-need population, with 95.62% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and its state percentile rank has declined from the 34th to the 20th percentile in recent years.
Despite spending $17,678 per student, which is a significant amount, these resources are not translating into strong academic outcomes or high graduation rates. This suggests that funds are likely directed toward essential support services for a high-poverty student body rather than directly boosting test scores. For parents, the data paints a clear picture of a school in need of systemic support to address both academic performance and, more critically, the underlying issues of student attendance and retention that drive its other metrics.
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