Summary:
The three public schools in zip code 20724, serving the Laurel and Maryland City areas of Anne Arundel County Public Schools, are all elementary-level institutions, though Monarch Global Academy PCS Laurel Campus extends through 8th grade. These schools serve a combined enrollment of about 1,794 students, and a majority of students across all three are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need in the area.
A clear standout is Monarch Global Academy, which earned a 3-star rating, placing it in the 43rd percentile statewide. In contrast, Brock Bridge Elementary and Maryland City Elementary both received 1-star ratings. Monarch’s overall English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency of 51.1% is nearly double that of Maryland City Elementary (25.8%) and significantly higher than Brock Bridge (35.5%). Notably, Monarch also excels in middle school math, with 8th-grade Algebra I proficiency at 52%, more than double the district average of 26.3%.
Chronic absenteeism is a powerful predictor of performance in this zip code. Monarch Global Academy has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 11.6% and the highest test scores, while Maryland City Elementary has the highest absenteeism at 25.8% and the lowest scores. Interestingly, the lowest-performing school, Maryland City, has the highest per-student spending ($20,794), while the highest-performing school, Monarch, has the lowest spending ($18,467). This suggests that factors like school culture and curriculum are more critical drivers of success than raw funding alone.
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