Summary:
There are two middle schools serving grades 6-8 in zip code 20783 (Adelphi, MD): Buck Lodge Middle and Sonia Sotomayor Middle at Adelphi, both part of the Prince George's County Public Schools district, which ranks in the bottom half of Maryland districts.
Between the two, Buck Lodge Middle is the stronger performer academically. It ranks in the 16th percentile statewide (284 out of 339), while Sonia Sotomayor Middle at Adelphi ranks in the 6th percentile (318 out of 339). In the 2025-2026 school year, Buck Lodge posted a 5.3% math proficiency rate and a 28.6% English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rate, compared to Sonia Sotomayor's 2.9% and 20.5%, respectively. A notable bright spot is Buck Lodge's 11.5% proficiency in Algebra I, which actually meets the district average, while Sonia Sotomayor reported 0% proficiency in that subject. Both schools serve a high-poverty population, with over 92% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, and both have chronic absenteeism rates (23-24%) that are better than the district average of 30.2%.
Despite relatively high per-student spending—$19,685 at Buck Lodge and $16,194 at Sonia Sotomayor—both schools significantly trail state averages in math, ELA, and science. For example, combined math proficiency for both schools is roughly 4.1%, compared to the state average of 27.1%. This suggests that financial resources alone are not addressing the academic challenges. The 0% Algebra I proficiency at Sonia Sotomayor is a critical concern, as it is a gateway course for higher-level math. Parents should note that while neither school is a high performer by state standards, Buck Lodge Middle shows a slight upward trend in its state ranking and offers a stronger academic profile overall, particularly in math.
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