Best Public Schools in Zip Code 20747

Zip code 20747 in District Heights/Forestville, Maryland, is home to seven public schools—six elementary schools and one middle school—all part of Prince George's County Public Schools, a district facing significant challenges, where over 93% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The standout school in this area is Longfields Elementary, which dramatically outperforms its peers and even state averages, with 43.6% math proficiency and 60.7% ELA proficiency—rates over eight times and double the next best school, respectively. In contrast, schools like Francis Scott Key Elementary and District Heights Elementary struggle with the lowest academic scores and highest chronic absenteeism, with District Heights Elementary at a staggering 56.5% absenteeism rate. Andrew Jackson Academy shows the most improvement, rising from the 3rd to the 12th percentile in state rankings over three years. The only middle school, Drew-Freeman Middle, has the lowest chronic absenteeism (17.5%) but very low academic proficiency (5.2% math, 22.2% ELA), suggesting attendance is not the issue. Samuel P. Massie Academy and North Forestville Elementary also perform below state averages, with math proficiency under 5%.

Key takeaways include that higher spending does not guarantee better results—Francis Scott Key Elementary spends the most per student ($25,358) but has the second-lowest ELA scores. Chronic absenteeism is a systemic crisis averaging 33.5%, but Longfields Elementary proves that high poverty does not have to mean low performance, achieving a 4-star rating and ranking in the 70th percentile statewide. For parents, this means that while most schools face serious challenges, Longfields Elementary is a clear beacon of success, and Andrew Jackson Academy is on a promising upward trend.