Towson High

Q: Is Towson High a good school?

Towson High ranks 37 th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Towson High is a public magnet high school serving 1,676 students in grades 9-12 in Towson, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore County Public Schools district, which is ranked 17th out of 25 districts in Maryland.

Towson High consistently outperforms the Baltimore County and Maryland state averages on standardized tests, with 70.4% of 10th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 47.5% for Baltimore County and 55.3% for Maryland. The school also has a strong statewide ranking, placing 37th out of 146 Maryland high schools in the 2023-2024 school year and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. However, Towson High's performance for specific racial subgroups is more mixed, with the school ranking 18th out of 25 Maryland high schools for Asian students and 10th out of 14 for African American students, both with a 2-star rating.

Compared to nearby schools like Parkville High (62.14% free/reduced lunch) and Loch Raven High (56.34% free/reduced lunch), Towson High has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 26.37%. This suggests the school may be able to leverage its efficient use of resources to maintain its strong academic performance, even as its statewide ranking has declined in recent years from a high of 5th in the state.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

69 Cedar Ave
Towson, MD 21286-7844

(443) 809-3608

District: Baltimore County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
37^th of 146 Maryland High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,124

Feeder schools for Towson High:

Elementary:	Lutherville Laboratory
	Riderwood Elementary
	Rodgers Forge Elementary
	Stoneleigh Elementary
	More...
	West Towson Elementary
Middle:	Dumbarton Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 18.1

Number of students: 1,676

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.6%

African American:

22.1%

Asian:

8.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 26.4%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Towson High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Towson High ranks better than 74.7% of high schools in Maryland. It also ranks 6^th among 16 ranked high schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.21. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (56.6%), African American (22.1%), Asian (8.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 26.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Towson High is 18.1. 25 high schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Towson High employs 92.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Towson High is $14,124. 27 high schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Towson High was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Towson High 37^th of 146 Maryland public high schools. (See Towson High in the ranking list.)

Baltimore County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Baltimore County Public Schools 17^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Towson High

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Rank History for all students at Towson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	48.33	88^th	201	56.2%
2005	72.86	20^th	204	90.2%
2006	73.98	34^th	204	83.3%
2007	65.74	67^th	209	67.9%
2008	80.97	22^nd	214	89.7%
2009	80.39	24^th	213	88.7%
2010	85.96	7^th	220	96.8%
2011	87.22	5^th	183	97.3%
2012	85.25	5^th	187	97.3%
2013	83.49	14^th	185	92.4%
2014	80.37	27^th	231	88.3%
2015	64.75	62^nd	233	73.4%
2016	68.66	46^th	233	80.3%
2018	84.94	10^th	197	94.9%
2022	57.81	47^th	225	79.1%
2023	63.62	26^th	127	79.5%
2024	58.21	37^th	146	74.7%

See the entire list of Maryland High School Rankings!

Rank History for Asian students at Towson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	38.18	18^th	25	28.0%

See the entire list of Best Maryland High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Towson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	47.76	10^th	14	28.6%

See the entire list of Best Maryland High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Maryland State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Towson High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	947	56	29	9	0	n/a	n/a	1	1042
1990	864	70	37	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	977
1991	829	69	46	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	956
1992	875	78	43	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	1008
1993	850	69	41	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	970
1994	837	83	38	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	963
1995	830	89	31	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	956
1996	830	89	31	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	956
1997	826	99	31	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	968
1998	855	119	27	21	4	n/a	n/a	0	1026
1999	903	128	41	20	5	n/a	n/a	0	1097
2000	963	139	48	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	1167
2001	1022	150	51	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	1240
2002	1110	216	60	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	1409
2003	1110	216	60	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	1409
2004	1138	215	65	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	1454
2005	1118	227	75	33	4	n/a	n/a	0	1457
2006	1087	253	78	34	5	n/a	n/a	0	1457
2007	1073	264	86	33	5	n/a	n/a	0	1461
2008	1029	281	90	34	6	n/a	n/a	0	1440
2009	986	277	105	36	3	n/a	n/a	0	1407
2010	958	290	93	36	5	n/a	n/a	0	1382
2011	955	278	95	42	4	0	21	0	1395
2012	935	283	119	52	5	0	21	0	1415
2013	913	294	130	51	4	1	35	0	1428
2014	893	310	135	61	3	1	41	0	1444
2015	876	294	156	75	1	2	40	0	1444
2016	909	292	150	82	2	1	46	0	1482
2017	914	293	165	85	3	1	48	0	1509
2018	959	291	152	97	3	1	50	0	1553
2019	1004	310	149	88	4	0	74	0	1629
2020	1003	292	144	88	3	0	89	0	1619
2021	1036	303	133	99	2	2	102	0	1677
2022	996	339	139	95	1	3	104	1	1678
2023	949	370	142	110	0	4	99	2	1676

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Towson High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1042	75.9	13.7	n/a
1990	977	74.9	13.0	1.4
1991	956	72.4	13.2	1.7
1992	1008	71.3	14.1	2.6
1993	970	84.2	11.5	2.7
1994	963	72.8	13.2	3.6
1995	956	67.0	14.3	4
1996	956	67.0	14.3	4
1997	968	63.8	15.2	4.3
1998	1026	63.3	16.2	4.4
1999	1097	63.4	17.3	5.8
2000	1167	70.5	16.6	6.3
2001	1240	76.5	16.2	5.2
2002	1409	78.8	17.9	5.4
2003	1409	78.8	17.9	5.4
2004	1454	92.5	15.7	6
2005	1457	93.0	15.7	7.8
2006	1457	92.0	15.8	10.4
2007	1461	91.0	16.1	10
2008	1440	89.0	16.2	10.9
2009	1407	88.4	15.9	11.1
2010	1382	89.5	15.4	11.3
2011	1395	89.0	15.6	13.7
2012	1415	82.1	17.2	17.1
2013	1428	86.8	16.4	18.6
2014	1444	81.8	17.6	17.8
2015	1444	83.0	17.3	17.7
2016	1482	85.0	17.4	16.2
2017	1509	85.0	17.7	14.5
2018	1553	86.5	17.9	16.4
2019	1629	92.5	17.6	16.8
2020	1619	97.0	16.6	16.4
2021	1677	97.6	17.1	18.1
2022	1678	98.6	17.0	14.8
2023	1676	92.5	18.1	26.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Towson High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1042	75.9	13.7	n/a
1990	977	74.9	13.0	1.4
1991	956	72.4	13.2	1.7
1992	1008	71.3	14.1	2.6
1993	970	84.2	11.5	2.7
1994	963	72.8	13.2	3.6
1995	956	67.0	14.3	4
1996	956	67.0	14.3	4
1997	968	63.8	15.2	4.3
1998	1026	63.3	16.2	4.4
1999	1097	63.4	17.3	5.8
2000	1167	70.5	16.6	6.3
2001	1240	76.5	16.2	5.2
2002	1409	78.8	17.9	5.4
2003	1409	78.8	17.9	5.4
2004	1454	92.5	15.7	6
2005	1457	93.0	15.7	7.8
2006	1457	92.0	15.8	10.4
2007	1461	91.0	16.1	10
2008	1440	89.0	16.2	10.9
2009	1407	88.4	15.9	11.1
2010	1382	89.5	15.4	11.3
2011	1395	89.0	15.6	13.7
2012	1415	82.1	17.2	17.1
2013	1428	86.8	16.4	18.6
2014	1444	81.8	17.6	17.8
2015	1444	83.0	17.3	17.7
2016	1482	85.0	17.4	16.2
2017	1509	85.0	17.7	14.5
2018	1553	86.5	17.9	16.4
2019	1629	92.5	17.6	16.8
2020	1619	97.0	16.6	16.4
2021	1677	97.6	17.1	18.1
2022	1678	98.6	17.0	14.8
2023	1676	92.5	18.1	26.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Towson High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$399 (3.2%)	$12,051 (96.8%)	$12,450
2020	$221 (1.8%)	$11,875 (98.2%)	$12,097
2021	$449 (3.8%)	$11,517 (96.2%)	$11,966
2022	$693 (5.9%)	$11,152 (94.1%)	$11,845
2023	$1,187 (8.4%)	$12,937 (91.6%)	$14,124

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Towson High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1629	1676	2.9%
African American	310	370	19.4%
American Indian	4	0	100%
Asian	149	142	4.7%
Hispanic	88	110	25%
Pacific Islander	0	4
White	1004	949	5.5%
Two or More Races	74	99	33.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	16.8%	26.4%	9.6%

Schools Near Towson High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAP Mathematics (2024)	MCAP English Language Arts (2024)		MCAP Algebra I (2024)	MCAP Algebra II (2024)	MCAP Geometry (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Algebra II End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Towson High	Public, Magnet	9-12	69 Cedar Ave	Towson	21286	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(443) 809-3608	1,676	93	18.1	26.4%	949 (56.6%)	370 (22.1%)	110 (6.6%)	142 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.2%)	99 (5.9%)	58.2	37^th of 146 public high schools	74.7%		63.6	26^th of 127 public high schools	79.5%	11	30.7	70.4	70.4	34.4	33.6	13.8	$14,124	$1,187	$12,937
Home Assignments-Secondary	Public, Virtual	7-12	105 W. Chesapeake Avenue	Towson	21204	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(443) 809-7515	11	17	.6	72.7%	2 (18.2%)	7 (63.6%)	1 (9.1%)	1 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							$51,327	$5,545	$45,782
BCDC Educational Center	Public	9-12	105 W. Chesapeake Avenue	Towson	21204	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-4360	45			28.9%	2 (4.4%)	38 (84.4%)	4 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.2%)								(n/a)							$6,350	$600	$5,750
Northeast EDLP at Parkville High School	Public	10-12	105 W Chesapeake Ave	Towson	21204	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 809-2270	12			58.3%	2 (16.7%)	9 (75.0%)	1 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							$31,294	$601	$30,693
Northwest EDLP at Milford Mill Academy	Public	12	105 W Chesapeake Ave	Towson	21204	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 809-2270	1				0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Southeast EDLP at Dundalk High School	Public	12	105 W Chesapeake Ave	Towson	21204	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 809-2270	6				1 (16.7%)	5 (83.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							$66,017	$1,003	$65,014
George W. Carver Center for Arts & Technology	Public, Magnet	9-12	938 York Rd	Towson	21204	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(443) 809-2775	984	64	15.3	26.5%	413 (42.0%)	379 (38.5%)	67 (6.8%)	65 (6.6%)	4 (0.4%)	6 (0.6%)	50 (5.1%)	66.4	20^th of 146 public high schools	86.3%		55.4	43^rd of 127 public high schools	66.1%	23	26.2	86.3	86.3	7.1	53.3	9.6	$17,600	$1,378	$16,223
Loch Raven High	Public	9-12	1212 Cowpens Ave	Baltimore	21286	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-3525	891	60	14.7	56.3%	284 (31.9%)	471 (52.9%)	64 (7.2%)	28 (3.1%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	39 (4.4%)	18.5	135^th of 146 public high schools	7.5%		21.2	116^th of 127 public high schools	8.7%	19		38.0	38.0	5.8			$18,772	$1,952	$16,820
Achievement Academy at Harbor City High	Public	9-12	2201 Pinewood Avenue	Baltimore	21214	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 396-6241	228	22	10.6	81.6%	4 (1.8%)	208 (91.2%)	14 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)		21.6	21.6				$30,165	$2,732	$27,434
Reginald F. Lewis High	Public	9-12	6401 Pioneer Drive	Baltimore	21214	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 545-1746	577	37	15.5	72.8%	7 (1.2%)	500 (86.7%)	64 (11.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)								(n/a)		26.9	26.9				$24,102	$1,270	$22,833

Frequently Asked Questions about Towson High

What is the racial makeup of Towson High?

Students at Towson High are 57% White, 22% African American, 8% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

Is Towson High a good school?

Towson High ranks 37^th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Towson High in?

Baltimore County Public Schools

What schools feed into Towson High?

Towson High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Lutherville Laboratory
Elementary : Riderwood Elementary
Elementary : Rodgers Forge Elementary
Elementary : Stoneleigh Elementary
Elementary : West Towson Elementary
Middle : Dumbarton Middle

How many students attend Towson High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,676 students attended Towson High.

Rate Towson High!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.