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Public high school · Anne Arundel County Public Schools · Harwood, Maryland

Southern High

Southern High rates 5.2, right at the middle of Anne Arundel County Public Schools's high schools, whose rated median is 5.2.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.2this school

5.2 on a one-to-ten scale; the Anne Arundel County Public Schools median is 5.2.

#1,042 of 1,363 schools in Maryland · Anne Arundel County Public Schools: 14 high schools rated, median 5.2

The brief

An Anne Arundel County Public Schools high school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,042 of 1,363 schools in Maryland and 93 of 123 in Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Southern High is listed in Anne Arundel County Public Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math5%22 points below the Maryland average of 27%210 students tested · 2026 MCAP
Reading65%13 points above the Maryland average of 52%251 students tested · 2026 MCAP
Proficiency has fallen 28 points since 2021, to 35% in 2026, across a 18-year record (2009–2026).2026 MCAP; 30 test records from MD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
3.4
25% of the rating
Academics
5.1
25% of the rating
College Readiness
7.4
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
4.5
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 67% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 77% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 · 2026 MCAP · Medium confidence
  • 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 · 2026 MCAP · Medium confidence
  • 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)
State assessments · 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, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Southern High and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$122,440
Median home value
$588,400
College educated
38.3%
Homeownership
89.6%
Poverty rate
7%

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

Getting around

Walk Score
15
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
20
Somewhat Bikeable
County reported crime
1,960/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 county residents, counting every city police department, sheriff's office and county police department that reported a full year to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program. Shown only where those agencies cover at least 80% of the county's residents. Not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
3 AP courses
29.3% participation · state average 3.1 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
19 sports
9 boys' · 10 girls' · 30 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
40%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.5Compare →
  2. Southern Highthis school
    5.2
  3. 3.2Compare →
Two grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and one rates higher than Southern High.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

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 #1,042 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Southern High's MySchoolScout rating?

Southern High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.2 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 67% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 77% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,073
Student-teacher ratio
16.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
66
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Anne Arundel County
4-year graduation
92.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#93 of 123
Schools in district
126
District spending per student
$17,624
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 20776)
3,354
Area average commute
35 min
Area median age
39.9

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Maryland Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.