Northern High

Q: Is Northern High a good school?

Northern High ranks 46 th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Northern High is a public high school located in Owings, Maryland, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 1,493. It is part of the Calvert County Public Schools district, which is ranked 5th out of 25 districts in Maryland and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Northern High consistently performs above the state and district averages in English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency, with 76.9% of 10th-grade students and 76.9% of all grades proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 55.3% and the district average of 62.6%. However, the school struggles with mathematics proficiency, with only 18.9% of all grades proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 24.1% and the district average of 32.8%. The school has a strong history of high rankings among Maryland high schools, reaching as high as 8th out of 185 schools in 2012-2013 and consistently ranking in the top 50 in recent years, though its SchoolDigger rating has fluctuated between 3 and 5 stars out of 5, with the most recent rating of 3 stars in 2023-2024.

Compared to nearby schools, Northern High has a higher percentage of White students (70.86% in 2022-2023) compared to Calvert High (56.88%) and Huntingtown High School (73.9%), but lower percentages of African American and Hispanic students than schools in Prince George's County and Charles County. Additionally, Northern High's spending per student ($13,793 in 2020-2021) is lower than the nearby Calvert High ($15,483) and Huntingtown High School ($14,291).

Detail:

Public 9-12

2950 Chaneyville Rd
Owings, MD 20736-9665

(443) 550-8950

District: Calvert County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
46^th of 146 Maryland High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,350

Feeder schools for Northern High:

Elementary:	Beach Elementary
	Mount Harmony Elementary
	Sunderland Elementary
	Windy Hill Elementary
Middle:	Northern Middle
	Windy Hill Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 18.2

Number of students: 1,511

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.7%

African American:

10.9%

Two or more races:

8.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.1%

See top rated Maryland high schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Northern High ranks better than 68.5% of high schools in Maryland. It also ranks first among 4 ranked high schools in the Calvert County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.91. (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 Northern High has the largest high school student body size in the Calvert County Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (70.7%), African American (10.9%), two or more races (8.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 20.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northern High is 18.2, which is the highest among 5 high schools in the Calvert County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Northern High employs 82.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northern High is $15,350. 3 high schools in the Calvert County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Northern High 46^th of 146 Maryland public high schools. (See Northern High in the ranking list.)

Calvert County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Calvert County Public Schools 5^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Northern High.

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Rank History for Northern High

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	58.68	26^th	201	87.1%
2005	79.20	11^th	204	94.6%
2006	77.69	23^rd	204	88.7%
2007	82.86	8^th	209	96.2%
2008	82.92	16^th	214	92.5%
2009	82.48	15^th	213	93.0%
2010	82.62	23^rd	220	89.5%
2011	85.94	11^th	183	94.0%
2012	83.76	13^th	187	93.0%
2013	84.70	8^th	185	95.7%
2014	80.00	35^th	231	84.8%
2015	68.59	46^th	233	80.3%
2016	75.85	22^nd	233	90.6%
2017	83.24	14^th	180	92.2%
2018	66.60	36^th	197	81.7%
2019	63.49	42^nd	138	69.6%
2022	55.94	52^nd	225	76.9%
2023	47.01	63^rd	127	50.4%
2024	52.91	46^th	146	68.5%

See the entire list of Maryland High School Rankings!

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

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a student
Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The staff is great and cares about the students. Teacher qualifications are excellent as one English teacher actually taught English to the princess of Japan! Also the school has some of the best test score records in the state and is the best in Calvert County. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Northern High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	1145	209	8	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	1366
1990	1182	191	9	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	1388
1991	1198	202	8	5	5	n/a	n/a	0	1418
1992	1268	188	7	10	6	n/a	n/a	0	1479
1993	1313	204	10	9	10	n/a	n/a	0	1546
1994	1337	197	9	8	9	n/a	n/a	0	1560
1995	1450	211	10	7	7	n/a	n/a	0	1685
1996	1450	211	10	7	7	n/a	n/a	0	1685
1997	1327	198	15	8	3	n/a	n/a	0	1551
1998	1306	202	14	6	4	n/a	n/a	0	1532
1999	1266	165	10	6	4	n/a	n/a	0	1451
2000	1311	164	8	10	4	n/a	n/a	0	1497
2001	1397	165	9	10	3	n/a	n/a	0	1584
2002	1480	187	17	13	3	n/a	n/a	0	1700
2003	1480	187	17	13	3	n/a	n/a	0	1700
2004	1554	196	22	14	5	n/a	n/a	0	1791
2005	1393	142	16	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	1565
2006	1360	154	20	15	4	n/a	n/a	0	1553
2007	1338	180	22	15	4	n/a	n/a	0	1559
2008	1337	191	20	17	5	n/a	n/a	0	1570
2009	1299	191	24	20	9	n/a	n/a	0	1543
2010	1291	242	32	35	11	n/a	n/a	0	1611
2011	1291	164	16	43	6	0	51	0	1571
2012	1283	157	20	41	4	0	41	0	1546
2013	1233	151	29	38	4	0	40	0	1495
2014	1204	140	31	41	3	1	56	0	1476
2015	1226	154	34	41	2	4	57	0	1518
2016	1164	161	35	47	2	4	71	0	1484
2017	1127	167	28	63	1	3	78	0	1467
2018	1116	155	32	69	1	2	88	0	1463
2019	1092	148	28	98	0	1	94	0	1461
2020	1101	163	28	92	1	2	97	0	1484
2021	1096	166	33	87	3	4	94	0	1483
2022	1114	163	37	92	3	6	117	1	1533
2023	1058	161	37	91	3	6	134	3	1493
2024	1068	164	43	98	0	3	134	1	1511

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 Northern High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1366	56.2	24.3	n/a
1990	1388	63.9	21.7	1.8
1991	1418	64.3	22.0	1.3
1992	1479	67.4	21.9	3.8
1993	1546	71.2	21.7	3.6
1994	1560	72.7	21.5	4.9
1995	1685	73.7	22.9	4.7
1996	1685	73.7	22.9	4.7
1997	1551	68.0	22.8	5.4
1998	1532	68.5	22.4	4.8
1999	1451	68.5	21.2	5
2000	1497	71.0	21.1	4.5
2001	1584	75.5	21.0	4.1
2002	1700	81.5	20.9	5.1
2003	1700	81.5	20.9	5.1
2004	1791	88.0	20.4	5.8
2005	1565	81.0	19.3	6.2
2006	1553	81.0	19.2	8.8
2007	1559	81.0	19.2	9
2008	1570	88.0	17.8	9.5
2009	1543	90.0	17.1	8.9
2010	1611	87.5	18.4	10.2
2011	1571	88.8	17.6	10.9
2012	1546	86.1	17.9	12.4
2013	1495	84.7	17.6	11.6
2014	1476	85.7	17.2	12.3
2015	1518	85.0	17.8	11.7
2016	1484	80.0	18.5	11.9
2017	1467	79.4	18.4	13.7
2018	1463	80.4	18.1	11.3
2019	1461	80.0	18.2	10.1
2020	1484	82.0	18.0	6.9
2021	1483	80.0	18.5	10.7
2022	1533	81.6	18.7	10.7
2023	1493	82.6	18.0	16.7
2024	1511	82.6	18.2	20.1

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 Northern High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1366	56.2	24.3	n/a
1990	1388	63.9	21.7	1.8
1991	1418	64.3	22.0	1.3
1992	1479	67.4	21.9	3.8
1993	1546	71.2	21.7	3.6
1994	1560	72.7	21.5	4.9
1995	1685	73.7	22.9	4.7
1996	1685	73.7	22.9	4.7
1997	1551	68.0	22.8	5.4
1998	1532	68.5	22.4	4.8
1999	1451	68.5	21.2	5
2000	1497	71.0	21.1	4.5
2001	1584	75.5	21.0	4.1
2002	1700	81.5	20.9	5.1
2003	1700	81.5	20.9	5.1
2004	1791	88.0	20.4	5.8
2005	1565	81.0	19.3	6.2
2006	1553	81.0	19.2	8.8
2007	1559	81.0	19.2	9
2008	1570	88.0	17.8	9.5
2009	1543	90.0	17.1	8.9
2010	1611	87.5	18.4	10.2
2011	1571	88.8	17.6	10.9
2012	1546	86.1	17.9	12.4
2013	1495	84.7	17.6	11.6
2014	1476	85.7	17.2	12.3
2015	1518	85.0	17.8	11.7
2016	1484	80.0	18.5	11.9
2017	1467	79.4	18.4	13.7
2018	1463	80.4	18.1	11.3
2019	1461	80.0	18.2	10.1
2020	1484	82.0	18.0	6.9
2021	1483	80.0	18.5	10.7
2022	1533	81.6	18.7	10.7
2023	1493	82.6	18.0	16.7
2024	1511	82.6	18.2	20.1

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 Northern High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$422 (3.2%)	$12,731 (96.8%)	$13,154
2020	$444 (3.3%)	$13,027 (96.7%)	$13,471
2021	$601 (4.4%)	$13,192 (95.6%)	$13,793
2022	$683 (4.8%)	$13,636 (95.2%)	$14,319
2023	$955 (6.2%)	$14,395 (93.8%)	$15,350

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northern 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.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 42^nd of 138 High schools	Ranks 63^rd of 127 High schools	19.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1461	1493	2.2%
African American	148	161	8.8%
American Indian	0	3
Asian	28	37	32.1%
Hispanic	98	91	7.1%
Pacific Islander	1	6	500%
White	1092	1058	3.1%
Two or More Races	94	134	42.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	10.1%	16.7%	6.6%

Schools Near Northern 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
Northern High	Public	9-12	2950 Chaneyville Rd	Owings	20736	Calvert County	Calvert County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 550-8950	1,511	83	18.2	20.1%	1,068 (70.7%)	164 (10.9%)	98 (6.5%)	43 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.2%)	134 (8.9%)	52.9	46^th of 146 public high schools	68.5%		47	63^rd of 127 public high schools	50.4%	17	18.9	76.9	76.9	11.4	17.1	25.5	$15,350	$955	$14,395
Huntingtown High School	Public	9-12	4125 N Solomons Island Rd	Huntingtown	20639	Calvert County	Calvert County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 550-8810	1,324	73	18.1	18.7%	948 (71.6%)	143 (10.8%)	98 (7.4%)	20 (1.5%)	5 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	108 (8.2%)	52	50^th of 146 public high schools	65.8%		46.8	65^th of 127 public high schools	48.8%	15	19.2	73.7	73.7	12.6	25.0	23.7	$16,310	$1,016	$15,293
Frederick Douglass High	Public, Magnet	9-12	8000 Croom Rd	Upper Marlboro	20772	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 952-2400	1,182	63	18.7	46.6%	17 (1.4%)	1,025 (86.7%)	101 (8.5%)	8 (0.7%)	5 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	23 (1.9%)								(n/a)		62.3	62.3				$17,582	$1,561	$16,022
Career and Technology Academy	Public	9-12	330 Dorsey Road	Prince Frederick	20678	Calvert County	Calvert County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 550-9940	0	24	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Calvert High	Public	9-12	520 Fox Run Blvd	Prince Frederick	20678	Calvert County	Calvert County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 550-8880	1,117	66	16.8	39.8%	640 (57.3%)	232 (20.8%)	127 (11.4%)	15 (1.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	100 (9.0%)	40.3	86^th of 146 public high schools	41.1%					(n/a)	9.0	66.3	66.3	6.8	16.0	10.6	$17,196	$1,046	$16,149
Gwynn Park High	Public, Magnet	9-12	13800 Brandywine Rd	Brandywine	20613	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 372-0140	1,155	65	17.7	49.6%	26 (2.3%)	883 (76.5%)	195 (16.9%)	17 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	10 (0.9%)	23 (2.0%)								(n/a)		31.8	31.8				$18,190	$1,737	$16,453
Dr. Henry A. Wise Junior High	Public	9-12	12650 Brooke Ln	Upper Marlboro	20772	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 780-2100	2,270	122	18.6	57.8%	40 (1.8%)	1,719 (75.7%)	465 (20.5%)	6 (0.3%)	11 (0.5%)	6 (0.3%)	22 (1.0%)								(n/a)		43.8	43.8				$17,362	$1,695	$15,666
Southern High	Public	9-12	4400 Solomons Island Rd	Harwood	20776	Anne Arundel County	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 867-7100	1,073	67	16.0	40.0%	659 (61.4%)	83 (7.7%)	256 (23.9%)	6 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	63 (5.9%)	53.1	45^th of 146 public high schools	69.2%		38.2	87^th of 127 public high schools	31.5%	42	5.8	67.4	67.4	5.8			$17,659	$1,546	$16,113
Thomas Stone High School	Public	9-12	3785 Leonardtown Rd	Waldorf	20601	Charles County	Charles County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 645-2601	1,173	85	13.8	62.1%	91 (7.8%)	735 (62.7%)	237 (20.2%)	23 (2.0%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	82 (7.0%)								(n/a)		30.8	30.8				$18,333	$840	$17,493
Surrattsville High	Public	9-12	6101 Garden Dr	Clinton	20735	Prince George's County	Prince George's County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 599-2453	780	48	16.2	68.5%	10 (1.3%)	552 (70.8%)	192 (24.6%)	14 (1.8%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	6 (0.8%)								(n/a)		31.4	31.4				$21,076	$1,980	$19,096

Frequently Asked Questions about Northern High

What district is Northern High in?

Calvert County Public Schools

How many students attend Northern High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,511 students attended Northern High.

Is Northern High a good school?

Northern High ranks 46^th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Northern High?

Northern High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Beach Elementary
Elementary : Mount Harmony Elementary
Elementary : Sunderland Elementary
Elementary : Windy Hill Elementary
Middle : Northern Middle
Middle : Windy Hill Middle

What is the racial makeup of Northern High?

Students at Northern High are 71% White, 11% African American, 9% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 3% Asian.

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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.