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Below Average

#1204 of 1,363 schools in MD

Central High

High School · Prince George's County Public Schools · Capitol Heights, MD

A Prince George's County Public Schools high school where students score 7 points below what's typical for similar communities.

200 Cabin Branch Rd, Capitol Heights, MD 20743

  • Math 8% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 27% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 57.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress5.7Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.24 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.6Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency7.5% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency27.3% (2025 MCAP)
Reading vs. State Avg-23.8 pts
Overall Proficiency17% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)25% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-7.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile17th
College Readiness4.5Below Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate57%
AP Participation6.2%
IB ProgramYes
Resources & Environment2.0Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.4:1
District spending per student$19,789
Chronic Absenteeism64.1%

Students at Central High score 17% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 25%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency8%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency27%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 40 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 27% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
69%
ELA
66%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
70%
2011
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
62%
2013
Math
62%
ELA
67%
2014
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2015
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2016
Math
43%
ELA
22%
2018
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2019
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
8%
ELA
47%
2025
ELA
27%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 43% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 27 test records from MD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

72.6%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Central High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Washington DC map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 25Car-Dependent
  • Bike 24Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,503/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Capitol Heights), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$76,332

Median home value

$317,100

Median rent

$1,614/mo

College educated

22.9%

Homeownership

66.8%

Poverty rate

12.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20743; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs1AP course offeredIB Programme
6.2% participation·State avg: 3.1 AP courses·51 IB enrolled·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics8sports offered
6 boys'·2 girls'·8 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses4of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Maya Angelou Pcs - HSCharter · enrollment unverified4.29–121.6 mi224Compare →
H.d. Woodson HSEnrollment path unverified5.89–122.0 mi544Compare →
Bishop Mcnamara High SchoolPrivate · tuition4.6private9–122.1 mi872Compare →
The Monroe SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated6–122.3 mi26Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Prince George's County Public Schools

Schools in district
199
Rank in district
#165 of 194
District spending per student
$19,789NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Central High is listed in Prince George's County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Central High

Central High is a public high school in Capitol Heights, MD, part of Prince George's County Public Schools, serving approximately 803 students in grades 9th-12th with a 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 out of 10 and ranks #1,204 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 49% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Central High

What grades does Central High serve?

Central High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Central High?

Central High has an enrollment of approximately 803 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High?

The student-teacher ratio at Central High is 15.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Central High rank in MD?

Central High ranks #1,204 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Central High's MySchoolScout rating?

Central High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Central High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Central High has 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 49% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Central High a charter school?

No, Central High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Central High a Title I school?

No, Central High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Central High?

72.6% of students at Central High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
803
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
52
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Prince George's County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
64.1%
4-Year Graduation
57.0%
Area population (ZIP 20743)
39,439
Area average commute
36.5 min
Area median age
38.9
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MCAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 20743; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022, multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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