Summary:
Zip code 21228 in Catonsville, Maryland, is home to three high schools serving grades 9-12 within the Baltimore County Public Schools district, offering a diverse range of educational environments from a top-tier magnet program to a specialized alternative school.
The standout performer in the area is Western School of Technology, a magnet school that ranks in the 93rd percentile statewide with a 5-star rating. It dramatically outperforms its peers with 96.8% English Language Arts proficiency and a low 7.9% chronic absenteeism rate, indicating a highly motivated student body. In contrast, Catonsville High serves as the area's comprehensive high school with 1,735 students, earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the 56th percentile. While it excels in ELA (65.8% proficient), it faces a critical math crisis with only 6% proficiency overall and 0% in Geometry. At the other extreme, Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is a small alternative school (68 students) designed for students who have struggled in traditional settings, with a 1-star rating, a 47% dropout rate, and 91.8% chronic absenteeism, reflecting the immense challenges of serving its at-risk population.
Key takeaways include the extreme "math gap" at Catonsville High, where ELA success contrasts sharply with math failure, suggesting a need for curriculum reform. Western Tech's success is driven by a self-selecting, engaged student body, while the Alternative Center's high spending ($66,986 per student) highlights the cost of intensive intervention for disengaged students. Overall, this zip code offers a microcosm of educational diversity, with school performance closely tied to student demographics and program focus, making it essential for parents to consider each school's unique strengths and challenges when choosing.
Thank you for your feedback!