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Below Average

#1163 of 1,363 schools in MD

Northwestern High

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

A Prince George's County Public Schools high school where students score 5 points above what's typical for similar communities.

7000 Adelphi Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20782

  • Math 7% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 42% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 71.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress4.5Below Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.6 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.2Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency7.3% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency42.4% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-22.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-8.7 pts
Overall Proficiency25% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)20% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected+4.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile45th
College Readiness4.6Below Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate71%
AP Participation13.8%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment1.7Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.7:1
District spending per student$19,789
Chronic Absenteeism62.1%

Students at Northwestern High score 25% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 20%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency7%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency42%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 54 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 25% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
79%
ELA
78%
2010
Math
70%
ELA
75%
2011
Math
72%
ELA
79%
2012
Math
71%
ELA
77%
2013
Math
70%
ELA
70%
2014
Math
64%
ELA
65%
2015
Math
60%
ELA
66%
2016
Math
47%
ELA
23%
2018
Math
16%
ELA
31%
2019
Math
16%
ELA
31%
2020*
Math
15%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
15%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
6%
ELA
30%
2025
Math
7%
ELA
42%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 43% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 52% (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

79.3%

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 Northwestern 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 55Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 46Some Transit
  • Bike 68Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,028/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Hyattsville), 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

$88,226

Median home value

$431,300

Median rent

$1,789/mo

College educated

37.3%

Homeownership

43.9%

Poverty rate

9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20782; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs2AP courses offered
13.8% participation·State avg: 3.1 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics12sports offered
6 boys'·6 girls'·12 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 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
Chelsea SchoolPrivate · tuition7.7private5–120.6 mi71Compare →
Dematha Catholic High SchoolPrivate · tuition7.0private9–121.3 mi807Compare →
College Park AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified8.26–121.5 mi681Compare →
Academy of Health Sciences at PgccEnrollment path unverified9.59–12Not available407Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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.

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
#154 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

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

About Northwestern High

Northwestern High is a public high school in Hyattsville, MD, part of Prince George's County Public Schools, serving approximately 2,381 students in grades 9th-12th with a 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,163 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Northwestern High

What grades does Northwestern High serve?

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

How many students attend Northwestern High?

Northwestern High has an enrollment of approximately 2,381 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwestern High?

The student-teacher ratio at Northwestern High is 16.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Northwestern High rank in MD?

Northwestern High ranks #1,163 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Northwestern High's MySchoolScout rating?

Northwestern High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 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 Northwestern High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Northwestern High has 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Northwestern High a charter school?

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

Is Northwestern High a Title I school?

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

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

79.3% of students at Northwestern 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
2,381
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
143
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Prince George's County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
62.1%
4-Year Graduation
71.0%
Area population (ZIP 20782)
34,646
Area average commute
35.2 min
Area median age
36.9
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 · 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 20782; 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

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