Skip to main content

Average

#834 of 1,363 schools in MD

Milton M. Somers Middle School

Middle School · Charles County Public Schools · La Plata, MD

A Charles County Public Schools middle school where students score 10 points below what's typical for similar communities.

300 Willow Ln, La Plata, MD 20646

  • Math 20% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 56% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.8Below Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.51 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.5Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency20% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency55.9% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-10.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+4.8 pts
Overall Proficiency38% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)48% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-9.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile38th
Resources & Environment7.5Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.2:1
District spending per student$17,415
Chronic Absenteeism27.6%

Students at Milton M. Somers Middle School score 38% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 48%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency20%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency56%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 13 points since 2020, reaching 38% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
86%
ELA
91%
2010
Math
89%
ELA
91%
2011
Math
88%
ELA
91%
2012
Math
86%
ELA
89%
2013
Math
84%
ELA
87%
2014
Math
44%
ELA
39%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
42%
ELA
44%
2018
Math
33%
ELA
41%
2019
Math
33%
ELA
41%
2020*
Math
15%
ELA
36%
2021*
Math
15%
ELA
36%
2022
Math
19%
ELA
45%
2025
Math
20%
ELA
56%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 59% (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 28 test records from MD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

37.5%

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 Milton M. Somers Middle School 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 52Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 36Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,970/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (La Plata), 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

$130,008

Median home value

$435,100

Median rent

$1,486/mo

College educated

33.4%

Homeownership

85.1%

Poverty rate

4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20646; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

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
SmcaPrivate · tuition8.0privatePK–123.8 mi302Compare →
General Smallwood Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.96–8Not available501Compare →
John Hanson Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.16–8Not available761Compare →
Mattawoman Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.76–8Not available887Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Charles County Public Schools

Schools in district
40
Rank in district
#15 of 37
District spending per student
$17,415NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

Milton M. Somers Middle School is listed in Charles County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Milton M. Somers Middle School

Milton M. Somers Middle School is a public middle school in La Plata, MD, part of Charles County Public Schools, serving approximately 659 students in grades 6th-8th with a 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.7 out of 10 and ranks #834 of 1,363 schools in MD.

State assessment records show 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Milton M. Somers Middle School

What grades does Milton M. Somers Middle School serve?

Milton M. Somers Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Milton M. Somers Middle School?

Milton M. Somers Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 659 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Milton M. Somers Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Milton M. Somers Middle School is 13.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Milton M. Somers Middle School rank in MD?

Milton M. Somers Middle School ranks #834 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Milton M. Somers Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Milton M. Somers Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.7 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 Milton M. Somers Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Milton M. Somers Middle School has 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Milton M. Somers Middle School a charter school?

No, Milton M. Somers Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Milton M. Somers Middle School a Title I school?

No, Milton M. Somers Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Milton M. Somers Middle School?

37.5% of students at Milton M. Somers Middle School 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
659
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
50
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Charles County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
27.6%
Area population (ZIP 20646)
21,601
Area average commute
38.7 min
Area median age
43.4
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 · 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.
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 20646; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.