Best High Schools in Zip Code 21202

Zip code 21202 in Baltimore City is home to two high schools, Baltimore Design School and Eager Street Academy, both serving grades 6 through 12 within the Baltimore City Public Schools district, an area with significant socioeconomic need where over half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Baltimore Design School is the standout performer in this area, with 503 students and a remarkable upward trajectory. Its state ranking has jumped from the 36th percentile to the 74th percentile in just two years, earning a 4-star rating. The school significantly outperforms its district in English Language Arts (ELA), with a standout 72.5% proficiency rate for 10th graders—well above both the district and state averages. In contrast, Eager Street Academy is a very small school of just 45 students facing severe academic challenges, ranking in the 4th percentile statewide with a 0-star rating. Despite spending over $45,000 per student—more than double the amount at Baltimore Design School—Eager Street Academy posts a 0% proficiency rate in math and a 17.2% rate in ELA, highlighting that high spending alone does not guarantee strong outcomes.

Key metrics reveal a stark contrast between these two schools. Baltimore Design School has a 13:1 student-teacher ratio and a chronic absenteeism rate of 30%, which is notably lower than the district average of 46.4%. Eager Street Academy has an extremely low 4.5:1 student-teacher ratio, yet its 80% graduation rate and 20% dropout rate mirror the district averages, suggesting its students face intense non-academic barriers. Overall, families in this zip code will find one school showing strong improvement and effective literacy instruction, and another that, despite intensive resources, struggles with foundational academic achievement.