Summary:
In zip code 20720, there is one elementary school, High Bridge Elementary, serving grades K-5 in Bowie, Maryland, as part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district.
High Bridge Elementary serves 394 students and stands out for its stark contrast between English Language Arts (ELA) and math performance. In the 2025-2026 school year, 46.2% of all students were proficient in ELA, significantly outperforming the district average of 38.9% and nearly reaching the state average. However, math proficiency was only 19.3%, which, while above the district's 13.7%, is far below the state's 27.1%. The school also has a very high rate of economic disadvantage, with 92.39% of students receiving free or reduced lunch, and a high per-student spending of $22,182. Chronic absenteeism is 26.2%, which is better than the district's 30.2% rate.
A key finding is the dramatic drop in math proficiency from 3rd grade (27.1%) to 5th grade (9.4%), indicating a systemic issue in upper elementary math instruction. Conversely, 4th grade ELA is a bright spot, with 57.6% proficiency, outperforming both the district (34.3%) and state (48.6%). The school's overall state ranking is 529th out of 864 schools (39th percentile, 2 stars), a slight improvement from previous years. While the high spending has not yet translated into strong math and science outcomes, the school's relative strength in ELA and lower chronic absenteeism compared to the district are positive signs for families considering this school.
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