Schools in Zip Code 20743

The 10 public schools in zip code 20743 (Capitol Heights, MD), all part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district, serve a predominantly elementary population (eight schools) with one middle school and one high school, and face significant challenges tied to high economic disadvantage, with an average free/reduced lunch rate of 85.6%.

A standout exception is Capitol Heights Elementary, which ranks in the 79th percentile statewide—a stark contrast to most other schools in the zip code that rank in the bottom 20%. It achieves a 46.5% math proficiency rate and a 68.1% ELA proficiency rate, far exceeding the district averages of 13.7% and 38.9%, respectively, while also having the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (23.3%) in the area. In contrast, schools like Seat Pleasant Elementary and Bradbury Heights Elementary rank in the 1st percentile, with math proficiency rates below 5% and chronic absenteeism exceeding 50%. Central High, the only high school, struggles with a 76.4% graduation rate and a staggering 57.6% chronic absenteeism rate, while Walker Mill Middle shows a troubling drop in math proficiency from 20.2% in 7th grade to just 4.2% in 8th grade.

Key metrics reveal systemic issues: the average chronic absenteeism rate across all schools is 39.9%, nearly double the district average, and average math and ELA proficiency rates (13.0% and 30.5%) lag behind state averages. Spending does not correlate with success—Doswell E. Brooks Elementary spends the most per student ($36,512) but ranks in the 16th percentile, while Capitol Heights Elementary achieves top-quartile results with $22,420 per student. The data strongly suggests that addressing chronic absenteeism and replicating the effective practices at Capitol Heights Elementary could be key to improving outcomes across the zip code.