Best Public Schools in Zip Code 21122

The 12 public schools in zip code 21122 (Pasadena, MD), part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools district, serve approximately 8,475 students across eight elementary, two middle, and two high schools, revealing a community with stark performance disparities.

Bodkin Elementary stands out as the top elementary school, consistently earning 4 stars with the highest math (41.6%) and ELA (61.3%) proficiency, the lowest chronic absenteeism (8.3%), and the lowest economic need (16.87% FARL). In contrast, High Point Elementary faces significant challenges with the lowest ELA scores (35.1%) and highest FARL rate (58.05%). At the middle school level, Chesapeake Bay Middle is a consistent 4-star performer, excelling in Algebra I (68.4% proficiency), while Northeast Middle lags behind. For high schools, Chesapeake High shows strong ELA proficiency (68%) and a 94.1% graduation rate, but math proficiency is critically low at 4.5%. Northeast High has a slightly higher graduation rate (94.5%) and lower dropout rate (3.7%) despite higher economic need (42.83% FARL).

A clear "feeder school" effect emerges: top elementary schools like Bodkin, Lake Shore Elementary, and Fort Smallwood Elementary feed into Chesapeake Bay Middle, while lower-performing elementary schools like High Point and Jacobsville Elementary feed into Northeast Middle. Chronic absenteeism is a pervasive issue, with 7 of 12 schools exceeding the district average of 19.9%, and it strongly correlates with lower academic performance. Notably, spending per student varies widely (from $16,503 to $23,007) but does not predict success, as Pasadena Elementary spends the most yet is not the top performer. The most alarming finding is the "math crisis" at the high school level, where proficiency rates are a fraction of state averages, despite strong ELA performance and excellent graduation rates across both high schools.