Summary:
The five high schools in the 21157 zip code of Westminster, MD, are all part of the top-rated Carroll County Public Schools district, but they serve two very different student populations: large comprehensive schools and small, specialized alternative programs.
Westminster High stands out as the academic leader in the area, earning a 4-star rating and ranking 54th in the state. Its English Language Arts proficiency rate of 78.3% is exceptional, far exceeding both the district and state averages. However, its math proficiency (22.1%) is a significant weakness. Winters Mill High also performs well overall with a 3-star rating and a strong 90.6% graduation rate, but faces a major challenge with math proficiency at just 7.7%. Both comprehensive schools struggle with chronic absenteeism, which is above the district average of 19.5%.
The alternative programs—Gateway School, Flexible Student Support, and Post Secondary Program—serve students with specific needs and cannot be directly compared to the larger schools. Gateway School has the highest needs, with a 77.9% chronic absenteeism rate and a 23.8% dropout rate, but it also receives the highest per-pupil spending at $52,874 to provide intensive support. The Post Secondary Program, serving only 12th graders, is the only school in the zip code with chronic absenteeism (18.9%) below the district average, indicating a highly engaged student body focused on post-graduation transition.
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