Summary:
In zip code 20782, there is one high school, Northwestern High, serving grades 9-12 in Hyattsville, MD, as part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district.
Northwestern High is a large school with 2,396 students and a very high-needs population, with 96.37% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. The school shows a stark contrast between subjects: English Language Arts proficiency (38.9%) matches the district average, but Mathematics proficiency is critically low at just 13.9%, with Geometry at only 5% proficient. The school spends $18,475 per student, yet faces significant challenges with student engagement. The most alarming statistic is a 27.7% dropout rate, nearly double the district average, which is closely tied to a 43.4% chronic absenteeism rate. The graduation rate stands at 68.8%, well below the district's 78.9%.
Despite these challenges, the school's state ranking has shown a positive trajectory, moving from a 0-star rating (6th percentile) in 2023-2024 to a 2-star rating (30th percentile) in 2025-2026. This improvement suggests that recent efforts may be gaining traction, though the school still ranks in the bottom third of Maryland high schools. The high spending per student combined with low outcomes raises questions about resource allocation, but the primary issue remains the dropout crisis. Any meaningful improvement at Northwestern High will need to focus on keeping students in school and engaged before academic performance can be effectively addressed.
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