Best Public Schools in Zip Code 20737

The five public schools in zip code 20737 (Riverdale, MD) are part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district and serve a community facing significant economic challenges, with an average free/reduced lunch rate of 86.4% across the area.

College Park Academy is the standout school in the area, earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the 61st percentile statewide. It dramatically outperforms its peers with a 60% English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rate, a low 11.5% chronic absenteeism rate, and a much lower rate of economic disadvantage (53.23% free/reduced lunch). In stark contrast, Parkdale High faces the most severe challenges as the largest school (2,588 students), with the highest chronic absenteeism (40.2%), the highest dropout rate (18.6%), and the lowest graduation rate (76.4%). The middle school transition appears to be a critical point of failure, as William Wirt Middle shows a significant drop in 6th-grade ELA proficiency (23.8%) compared to the 5th-grade scores at Beacon Heights Elementary (43.1%) and Riverdale Elementary (26.8%).

Overall academic proficiency is low, with average math scores at 14.2% and ELA at 39.3%, both well below state averages. However, there are glimmers of hope: 3rd-grade math at Riverdale Elementary (27.2%) and Beacon Heights Elementary (26.8%) actually exceeds the district average (25.8%), suggesting strong early elementary instruction. The data also shows that higher per-student spending correlates with better outcomes, as College Park Academy spends the most ($22,745 per student) and achieves the best results, while Parkdale High spends the least ($18,256) and has the worst outcomes, illustrating the "cost of failure" in high-need schools.