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Average

#634 of 1,363 schools in MD

Top 46% in state

Southern High

High School · Anne Arundel County Public Schools · Harwood, MD

An Anne Arundel County Public Schools high school where students score 7 points below what's typical for similar communities.

4400 Solomons Island Rd, Harwood, MD 20776

  • Math 6% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 71% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 93.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress6.9Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-3.86 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.8Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency6.1% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency71.4% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-24.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+20.3 pts
Overall Proficiency39% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-7.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile41th
College Readiness8.0Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate93%
AP Participation29.3%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment4.5Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.3:1
District spending per student$17,624
Chronic Absenteeism27.7%

Students at Southern High score 39% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency6%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency71%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 24 points since 2020, to 39% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
97%
ELA
89%
2010
Math
93%
ELA
90%
2011
Math
95%
ELA
88%
2012
Math
96%
ELA
88%
2013
Math
98%
ELA
89%
2014
Math
94%
ELA
88%
2015
Math
94%
ELA
90%
2016
Math
92%
ELA
49%
2018
Math
50%
ELA
69%
2019
Math
50%
ELA
69%
2020*
Math
52%
ELA
73%
2021*
Math
52%
ELA
73%
2022
Math
32%
ELA
58%
2025
Math
6%
ELA
71%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 72% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 78% (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

40%

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 Southern High 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 15Car-Dependent
  • Bike 20Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

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

Median income

$122,440

Median home value

$588,400

College educated

38.3%

Homeownership

89.6%

Poverty rate

7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20776; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
29.3% participation·State avg: 3.1 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics19sports offered
9 boys'·10 girls'·30 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
Fairhaven SchoolPrivate · tuition5.9privateK–124.3 mi60Compare →
Central Special SchoolEnrollment path unverified2.5PK–124.8 mi127Compare →
South River HighEnrollment path unverified7.99–124.9 mi1,634Compare →
Annapolis HighEnrollment path unverified6.79–12Not available2,089Compare →

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.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Schools in district
126
Rank in district
#55 of 123
District spending per student
$17,624NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Southern High is listed in Anne Arundel County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Southern High

Southern High is a public high school in Harwood, MD, part of Anne Arundel County Public Schools, serving approximately 1,073 students in grades 9th-12th with a 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 out of 10 and ranks #634 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 72% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 78% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Southern High

What grades does Southern High serve?

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

How many students attend Southern High?

Southern High has an enrollment of approximately 1,073 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern High?

The student-teacher ratio at Southern High is 16.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Southern High rank in MD?

Southern High ranks #634 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Southern High's MySchoolScout rating?

Southern High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 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 Southern High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Southern High has 72% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 78% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Southern High a charter school?

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

Is Southern High a Title I school?

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

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

40.0% of students at Southern 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
1,073
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
66
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Anne Arundel County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
27.7%
4-Year Graduation
93.0%
Area population (ZIP 20776)
3,354
Area average commute
35 min
Area median age
39.9
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 20776; 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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