Best Public Schools in Zip Code 20746

The six schools in zip code 20746, serving the Suitland and Morningside areas of Maryland, are all part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district, which ranks in the bottom 12th percentile statewide. This small area presents a stark contrast between two high-performing K-8 schools and several elementary schools facing severe academic and attendance challenges.

Benjamin D. Foulois Academy is the standout performer, ranking in the 50th percentile with 3 stars. It is the only school where a majority of students (59.6%) are proficient in English Language Arts, and its Algebra I proficiency rate of 66.7% dwarfs the district's 11.1%. Critically, its chronic absenteeism rate is just 13.6%, the lowest in the area. Imagine Foundations at Morningside PCS is the second-best school, showing a strong upward trajectory from the 24th to the 51st percentile, with 57.4% ELA proficiency and a 22.8% absenteeism rate. In contrast, Suitland Elementary, William Beanes Elementary, and Princeton Elementary are in the bottom 10% of Maryland elementary schools, with math proficiency in the single digits and chronic absenteeism rates above 50%. Suitland High, the only high school, has a 76.7% graduation rate and a 56.2% chronic absenteeism rate.

The most critical finding is that chronic absenteeism is the defining crisis, with a perfect inverse correlation to academic performance. The two highest-spending schools (Princeton at $25,630 and Suitland Elementary at $25,123) are among the lowest-performing, while the highest-performing school (Foulois) has the lowest spending ($20,314), indicating that financial investment alone cannot solve the challenges. The K-8 model at Foulois and Imagine appears promising, as these schools have the lowest absenteeism and highest achievement. Ultimately, the struggles at Suitland High are a direct consequence of the foundational issues in its feeder elementary schools, requiring intervention at the earliest grades.