Summary:
Zip code 21795 in Williamsport, MD, is home to a single high school, Williamsport High, which serves grades 9 through 12 and is part of the Washington County Public Schools district.
Williamsport High has an enrollment of 1,061 students and shows a stark contrast in academic performance between subjects. While its English Language Arts proficiency rate of 54.1% slightly exceeds the state average of 51.7%, its mathematics proficiency rate is critically low at just 8.7%, compared to the state average of 27.1%. This significant gap suggests a systemic issue with math instruction or student preparedness. The school also faces serious challenges with student engagement, as its chronic absenteeism rate is 40.4%—well above the district average of 29.0%—and its dropout rate of 10.8% is higher than the district's 8.2%. These factors likely contribute to the school's declining state ranking, which dropped from the 52nd percentile (3 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 41st percentile (2 stars) in the following two years.
Despite spending $17,239 per student, which is a significant amount, these resources are not translating into strong outcomes, particularly in math. With over 60% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly low-income community, which adds context to its struggles. The graduation rate of 87.8% is slightly below the district average of 89.5%. For parents, the most critical takeaway is that Williamsport High is a school with clear strengths in literacy but faces urgent, interconnected challenges in math achievement, attendance, and student retention that require focused attention.
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