Best High Schools in Zip Code 20874

The 20874 zip code area in Maryland is home to two high schools - Seneca Valley High and Northwest High. Based on the available data, Northwest High appears to be the standout school, ranking 31st out of 220 Maryland high schools and maintaining a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. In contrast, Seneca Valley High is ranked 105th and has a 3-star rating.

Northwest High demonstrates significantly higher proficiency rates on MCAP English Language Arts tests compared to Seneca Valley High and the county/state averages. For example, 71.6% of 10th graders at Northwest were proficient in 2024-2025, compared to 59.3% at Seneca Valley. Additionally, Northwest High has a lower percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch (34.2%) than Seneca Valley High (47.5%), suggesting a more advantaged student population. Both schools have similar 4-year graduation rates of around 91.8%, but they struggle with high chronic absenteeism rates, well above the state average.

The data also reveals differences in spending per student, with Seneca Valley High spending $19,473 per student and Northwest High spending $17,959 per student. However, the higher per-student spending at Seneca Valley High does not appear to translate to better outcomes compared to Northwest High, raising questions about the efficient allocation of resources and the factors driving student performance. Overall, the insights highlight the need for further investigation into the factors contributing to the performance gap between the two schools and the high chronic absenteeism rates in the area.