Summary:
Zip code 20746 in Suitland, Maryland, is home to a single high school, Suitland High, which serves grades 9-12 and is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district.
Suitland High is a large school with 1,847 students and a student-teacher ratio of 15.9:1. The school faces significant challenges, most notably a chronic absenteeism rate of 56.2%, meaning over half of its students are regularly missing class. This is nearly double the district average of 30.2% and is a primary driver behind a graduation rate of 76.7% and a dropout rate of 17.4%, both worse than district averages. Academic proficiency is low, with only 12.3% of students proficient in Mathematics and 33.5% in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 27.1% and 51.7%, respectively. The school serves a very high-need population, with 94.69% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
Despite spending $21,395 per student—a substantial amount—the school's outcomes remain low, highlighting a disconnect between funding and results. However, there is a potential bright spot: Math proficiency jumped from 3.9% to 12.3% year-over-year, suggesting a new strategy may be taking hold. For parents, the most critical takeaway is that Suitland High is battling a crisis of attendance that undermines all other efforts. Without a major intervention to get students to school consistently, academic improvement will remain an uphill climb.
Thank you for your feedback!