Skip to main content

Very Good

#344 of 1,363 schools in MD

Top 25% in state

Patterson Mill High School

High School · Harford County Public Schools · Bel Air, MD

A Harford County Public Schools high school where students score 11 points below what's typical for similar communities.

85 Patterson Mill Rd, Bel Air, MD 21015

  • Math 20% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 72% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 95%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress8.4Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-3.24 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.1Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency19.6% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency71.8% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-10.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+20.7 pts
Overall Proficiency46% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)57% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-11.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile44th
College Readiness9.8Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate95%+
AP Participation42.3%
IB ProgramYes
Resources & Environment5.5Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.2:1
District spending per student$17,493
Chronic Absenteeism20.6%

Students at Patterson Mill High School score 46% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 57%).

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 Proficiency72%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 29 points since 2020, to 46% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
100%
ELA
89%
2010
Math
98%
ELA
90%
2011
Math
97%
ELA
94%
2012
Math
97%
ELA
92%
2013
Math
98%
ELA
93%
2014
Math
98%
ELA
93%
2015
Math
92%
ELA
87%
2016
Math
98%
ELA
77%
2018
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2019
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2020*
Math
77%
ELA
72%
2021*
Math
77%
ELA
72%
2022
Math
37%
ELA
72%
2025
Math
20%
ELA
72%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 80% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 82% (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

23.5%

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 Patterson Mill High School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 19Car-Dependent
  • Transit 21Minimal Transit
  • Bike 25Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,245/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Bel Air), 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

$137,219

Median home value

$418,400

Median rent

$1,730/mo

College educated

52.2%

Homeownership

90.5%

Poverty rate

4.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 21015; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offeredIB Programme
42.3% participation·State avg: 3.1 AP courses·1 IB enrolled·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics4sports offered
2 boys'·2 girls'·4 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
Emmorton Baptist AcademyPrivate · tuition5.7privateK–120.5 mi49Compare →
Bel Air HighEnrollment path unverified7.69–122.1 mi1,419Compare →
John Carroll SchoolPrivate · tuition5.0private9–122.2 mi715Compare →
Grace Classical AcademyPrivate · tuition5.6privatePK–123.2 mi143Compare →

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.

Harford County Public Schools

Schools in district
55
Rank in district
#19 of 55
District spending per student
$17,493NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Patterson Mill High School is listed in Harford County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Patterson Mill High School

Patterson Mill High School is a public high school in Bel Air, MD, part of Harford County Public Schools, serving approximately 826 students in grades 9th-12th with a 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10 and ranks #344 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 80% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 82% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Patterson Mill High School

What grades does Patterson Mill High School serve?

Patterson Mill High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Patterson Mill High School?

Patterson Mill High School has an enrollment of approximately 826 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Patterson Mill High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Patterson Mill High School is 16.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Patterson Mill High School rank in MD?

Patterson Mill High School ranks #344 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Patterson Mill High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Patterson Mill High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 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 Patterson Mill High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Patterson Mill High School has 80% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 82% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Patterson Mill High School a charter school?

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

Is Patterson Mill High School a Title I school?

No, Patterson Mill High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Patterson Mill High School?

23.5% of students at Patterson Mill High 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
9th – 12th
Enrollment
826
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
51
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Harford County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.6%
4-Year Graduation
95%+
Area population (ZIP 21015)
30,451
Area average commute
32.9 min
Area median age
40.3
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 21015; 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.