Summary:
There are three high schools in the 20774 zip code (Springdale/Largo, Maryland), serving grades 9-12 within the Prince George's County Public Schools district, which faces significant systemic challenges.
The standout school in this area is the Academy of Health Sciences at PGCC, a magnet and early college program ranked 3rd out of 227 high schools in Maryland (99th percentile). It achieves 100% proficiency in English Language Arts and 61.5% in Math, far exceeding state averages. In stark contrast, the two traditional comprehensive high schools struggle significantly. Charles Herbert Flowers High (2,712 students) ranks in the 52nd percentile, with a 62.5% ELA proficiency but only 12.8% in Math. Largo High (1,159 students) is the most challenged, ranking in the 32nd percentile with a 51.4% ELA proficiency and a catastrophic 0% proficiency in Math for the 2024-2025 school year.
Key findings reveal a dramatic "magnet effect," where the Academy's selective admissions produce results disconnected from the surrounding district. Both traditional schools show ELA as a relative strength but math as a critical weakness, suggesting a systemic instructional problem. Notably, higher spending does not equal better outcomes: Largo High spends the most per student ($20,217) yet has the worst scores, while Charles Herbert Flowers spends the least ($16,254) and outperforms it. Graduation rates are deceptively high (89.6% and 90.9%) despite low academic proficiency, indicating a potential "graduation gap." Chronic absenteeism is a systemic issue, affecting 32-35% of students at the traditional schools, directly correlating with lower test scores.
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