Summary:
In zip code 21206, there is one high school, Overlea High, serving grades 9 through 12 with 1,474 students as part of the Baltimore County Public Schools district, an area where 65.4% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating significant economic challenges.
Overlea High faces a severe academic crisis, particularly in mathematics, where only 2.4% of students are proficient—drastically lower than the district average of 21.9% and the state average of 27.1%. English Language Arts proficiency is higher at 35.7%, but still below district (46.1%) and state (51.7%) averages. The school's graduation rate is 80.4%, below the district's 84.3%, and its dropout rate of 13.4% exceeds the district's 12.1%. A critical concern is the chronic absenteeism rate of 44.8%, nearly double the district average of 25.6%, which likely drives poor academic outcomes. The school spends $16,720 per student, yet ranks 184th out of 227 Maryland high schools (19th percentile), earning a 1-star rating.
Key takeaways include a severe math proficiency crisis, with Algebra I proficiency at just 0.9% and Geometry at 5.7%, alongside a 33.3 percentage point gap between math and ELA scores. Chronic absenteeism affects nearly half the student body, and despite high per-pupil spending, results remain low, suggesting resource allocation issues. Year-over-year data shows instability, such as Algebra II proficiency dropping from 10.2% to 0%. For parents, this school requires urgent attention to attendance and math instruction, with targeted interventions needed to address these deep-rooted challenges.
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