Summary:
This analysis examines three high schools in the 21207 zip code of Baltimore, Maryland, serving grades 9-12 across Baltimore County Public Schools and Baltimore City Public Schools, with a combined enrollment of 4,417 students.
Milford Mill Academy is the standout school in the area, ranking highest at 172nd out of 227 schools statewide (24th percentile) for 2025-2026. It leads with an 83.7% graduation rate, the lowest chronic absenteeism at 35.8%, and the strongest English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency at 38.3%. In contrast, Forest Park High ranks lowest at 198th (13th percentile) despite spending the most per student ($22,667) and having the highest poverty rate (75.1% free/reduced lunch). Woodlawn High is the largest school with 1,922 students but has the highest dropout rate at 12.3%. All three schools struggle with math proficiency, with rates ranging from just 5.3% at Milford Mill to 9.9% at Forest Park, far below the state average of 27.1%.
Chronic absenteeism is a critical, area-wide crisis, with rates at 69.0% for Forest Park, 50.4% for Woodlawn, and 35.8% for Milford Mill—all significantly above their district averages. While the two Baltimore County schools generally outperform the Baltimore City school, the county district itself ranks only 18th out of 25 in Maryland. The data reveals a spending paradox: higher funding at Forest Park does not translate to better outcomes, suggesting that factors like poverty and absenteeism are powerful countervailing forces. Milford Mill Academy emerges as the relative outperformer, showing that school-specific leadership and culture can make a tangible difference even within a struggling district.
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