Summary:
Zip code 20736 in Owings, Maryland, is served by two exceptional public middle schools, Northern Middle and Windy Hill Middle, both part of the highly-rated Calvert County Public Schools district, which ranks 3rd in the state.
Both schools are top performers, ranking in the 90th percentile of all Maryland middle schools. Northern Middle is the standout, ranking 27th in the state (92nd percentile) and leading in overall Math (41.6% proficient) and English Language Arts (76.9% proficient) scores. It also excels in advanced coursework, with a remarkable 91.3% proficiency in Geometry. Windy Hill Middle is not far behind, ranking 34th (90th percentile) and showing a strong upward trend, jumping from the 78th percentile just two years prior. Interestingly, Windy Hill slightly outperforms Northern in 8th Grade Science (54.9% vs. 52.5%). Both schools dramatically exceed state averages in every subject, reflecting the district's overall strength.
A key differentiator is that Northern Middle achieves superior academic results despite having a higher student-teacher ratio (19.1 vs. 15.7) and lower per-student spending ($15,776 vs. $16,249) than Windy Hill Middle. This suggests factors like a lower chronic absenteeism rate (10.8% vs. 14.9%) and a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch (17.05% vs. 29.15%) are powerful drivers of success. Both schools, however, have absenteeism rates well below the district average of 17.3%, indicating a strong culture of attendance across the area.
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