Schools in Zip Code 21223

The eight schools in Baltimore's 21223 zip code, serving elementary through high school grades within the Baltimore City Public Schools district and the SEED School of Maryland, face severe educational challenges, with an average free/reduced lunch rate of nearly 90% and test scores far below state averages.

While no school is a high performer, James McHenry Elementary/Middle stands out as the relative academic leader, earning a 2-star rating and being the only elementary school to surpass district averages in both Math (20.2%) and English Language Arts (42.3%). Its 6th-grade ELA proficiency of 55.6% even exceeds the state average. In stark contrast, Frederick Elementary has the lowest test scores, with just 3.5% Math and 10.3% ELA proficiency. Among high schools, The SEED School of Maryland presents a paradox: despite very low test scores (8.4% Math, 30.7% ELA), it boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (28.7%) and a graduation rate (77.2%) that exceeds the district average. Conversely, Excel Academy at Francis M. Wood High is in crisis, with an 11% graduation rate and a 67.4% dropout rate.

Chronic absenteeism is the defining crisis, averaging 55.1% across the zip code. Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy (84.8%) and Frederick Elementary (73.0%) are the worst, while Southwest Baltimore Charter School (39.0%) and SEED School show better attendance. High per-student spending, averaging $27,512, does not guarantee results—SEED spends $40,687 per student yet has low test scores, while Franklin Square Elementary/Middle spends the least ($21,891) with similarly low scores. The data shows that getting students to show up is the critical first step, and James McHenry proves that targeted success is possible even in this high-poverty environment.