Atholton High

Q: Is Atholton High a good school?

Atholton High ranks 73 rd of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Atholton High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Columbia, Maryland, part of the highly-ranked Howard County Public Schools district. The school has seen a diverse student population in recent years, with a racial makeup that includes 29-35% White, 29-32% African American, 10-13% Hispanic, and 18-19% Asian students.

Academically, Atholton High has generally performed well compared to state and district averages, with 66.2% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, versus 63% for the Howard County district and 48.4% for Maryland. However, the school lags behind in mathematics, with only 14.9% proficient or better, compared to 41.1% for the district and 24.1% for the state. Atholton High's statewide ranking has declined in recent years, dropping from 6th out of 185 Maryland high schools in 2012-2013 to 73rd out of 146 in 2023-2024, corresponding with a drop from a 5-star to a 3-star rating by SchoolDigger. The school's Asian students perform relatively well, ranking 11th out of 25 Maryland high schools in 2020-2021, but the overall performance suggests potential achievement gaps between student subgroups.

Compared to nearby schools in the Howard County district, Atholton High generally outperforms Long Reach High and Oakland Mills High in academic metrics, but lags behind higher-performing schools like Centennial High and River Hill High. The school's spending per student and student-teacher ratio have remained relatively consistent, suggesting that factors beyond funding and class size may be contributing to its academic performance.

Detail:

Public 9-12

6520 Freetown Rd
Columbia, MD 21044-4002

(410) 313-7065

District: Howard County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
73^rd of 146 Maryland High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,727

Feeder schools for Atholton High:

Elementary:

Clemens Crossing Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 15.5

Number of students: 1,467

Racial breakdown:

African American:

31.3%

White:

29.2%

Asian:

18.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 24%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Atholton High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Atholton High ranks worse than 50% of high schools in Maryland. It also ranks 8^th among 13 ranked high schools in the Howard County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.94. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Atholton High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 Student population at Atholton High is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (31.3%), White (29.2%), Asian (18.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 24% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Atholton High is 15.5. 7 high schools in the Howard County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Atholton High employs 94.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Atholton High is $17,727, which is the 5^th highest among 13 high schools in the Howard County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Atholton High 73^rd of 146 Maryland public high schools. (See Atholton High in the ranking list.)

Howard County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Howard County Public Schools 2^nd of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Atholton High.

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Rank History for Atholton High

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Rank History for all students at Atholton High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	58.25	29^th	201	85.6%
2005	82.17	8^th	204	96.1%
2006	78.26	19^th	204	90.7%
2007	81.37	12^th	209	94.3%
2008	83.59	12^th	214	94.4%
2009	83.15	11^th	213	94.8%
2010	86.53	5^th	220	97.7%
2011	86.53	9^th	183	95.1%
2012	84.39	9^th	187	95.2%
2013	84.91	6^th	185	96.8%
2014	80.26	31^st	231	86.6%
2015	74.01	27^th	233	88.4%
2016	68.55	48^th	233	79.4%
2017	73.77	23^rd	180	87.2%
2018	69.00	33^rd	197	83.2%
2019	71.63	25^th	138	81.9%
2022	58.36	45^th	225	80.0%
2023	49.56	58^th	127	54.3%
2024	44.94	73^rd	146	50.0%

See the entire list of Maryland High School Rankings!

Rank History for Asian students at Atholton High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	59.92	11^th	25	56.0%

See the entire list of Best Maryland High Schools for Asian 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a student
Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Atholton 2021-2022 has had more than 10 fights involving students and parents. And it’s only been 1 month of school. This school also has a very bad drug problem. This used to be a really good school. Now the learning environment doesn’t feel safe at all. I do not recommend going here! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Atholton High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	970	95	31	9	3	n/a	n/a	3	1111
1990	932	100	39	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	1081
1991	920	94	48	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	1077
1992	956	105	66	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	1144
1993	939	131	67	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	1162
1994	970	157	86	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	1241
1995	1157	199	92	37	2	n/a	n/a	0	1487
1996	1157	199	92	37	2	n/a	n/a	0	1487
1997	848	148	94	28	2	n/a	n/a	0	1120
1998	807	159	76	26	2	n/a	n/a	0	1070
1999	806	170	82	35	1	n/a	n/a	0	1094
2000	818	175	90	29	1	n/a	n/a	0	1113
2001	865	202	83	30	2	n/a	n/a	0	1182
2002	835	173	113	32	1	n/a	n/a	0	1154
2003	835	173	113	32	1	n/a	n/a	0	1154
2004	853	177	128	39	1	n/a	n/a	0	1198
2005	877	178	160	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	1251
2006	963	193	176	33	0	n/a	n/a	0	1365
2007	929	214	182	43	2	n/a	n/a	0	1370
2008	950	246	202	42	2	n/a	n/a	0	1442
2009	920	242	201	53	0	n/a	n/a	0	1416
2010	924	260	229	53	5	n/a	n/a	0	1471
2011	845	222	232	86	3	1	70	0	1459
2012	833	259	235	89	5	1	65	0	1487
2013	816	262	246	79	6	2	71	0	1482
2014	766	286	254	76	3	3	70	0	1458
2015	746	284	263	83	5	1	78	0	1460
2016	700	285	270	92	3	3	84	0	1437
2017	669	290	279	110	4	1	95	0	1448
2018	647	317	291	117	3	1	102	0	1478
2019	625	365	289	130	1	1	93	0	1504
2020	580	369	287	137	2	0	85	0	1460
2021	516	436	268	160	1	0	91	0	1472
2022	458	459	264	175	2	2	96	0	1456
2023	428	459	269	191	2	3	113	2	1467

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 Atholton High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1111	59.6	18.6	n/a
1990	1081	56.8	19.0	0.3
1991	1077	59.1	18.2	0.3
1992	1144	57.9	19.7	1.4
1993	1162	61.8	18.8	1.4
1994	1241	64.3	19.3	2.8
1995	1487	79.5	18.7	2.6
1996	1487	79.5	18.7	2.6
1997	1120	63.0	17.8	2.8
1998	1070	58.6	18.3	2.3
1999	1094	58.6	18.7	5.9
2000	1113	64.8	17.2	7.1
2001	1182	70.9	16.7	9.3
2002	1154	74.8	15.4	6.2
2003	1154	74.8	15.4	6.2
2004	1198	75.3	15.9	5.3
2005	1251	79.0	15.8	4.5
2006	1365	81.0	16.9	4.4
2007	1370	83.1	16.5	5.4
2008	1442	90.3	16.0	4.4
2009	1416	96.8	14.6	5.3
2010	1471	98.3	14.9	5.7
2011	1459	97.3	14.9	5.8
2012	1487	94.6	15.7	6.8
2013	1482	96.5	15.3	6.5
2014	1458	89.5	16.2	7.5
2015	1460	93.0	15.6	8.3
2016	1437	98.0	14.6	7.8
2017	1448	96.0	15.0	7.9
2018	1478	93.6	15.7	7.8
2019	1504	94.7	15.8	8
2020	1460	94.6	15.4	9.3
2021	1472	90.8	16.2	13.5
2022	1456	94.4	15.4	15.5
2023	1467	94.6	15.5	24

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 Atholton High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1111	59.6	18.6	n/a
1990	1081	56.8	19.0	0.3
1991	1077	59.1	18.2	0.3
1992	1144	57.9	19.7	1.4
1993	1162	61.8	18.8	1.4
1994	1241	64.3	19.3	2.8
1995	1487	79.5	18.7	2.6
1996	1487	79.5	18.7	2.6
1997	1120	63.0	17.8	2.8
1998	1070	58.6	18.3	2.3
1999	1094	58.6	18.7	5.9
2000	1113	64.8	17.2	7.1
2001	1182	70.9	16.7	9.3
2002	1154	74.8	15.4	6.2
2003	1154	74.8	15.4	6.2
2004	1198	75.3	15.9	5.3
2005	1251	79.0	15.8	4.5
2006	1365	81.0	16.9	4.4
2007	1370	83.1	16.5	5.4
2008	1442	90.3	16.0	4.4
2009	1416	96.8	14.6	5.3
2010	1471	98.3	14.9	5.7
2011	1459	97.3	14.9	5.8
2012	1487	94.6	15.7	6.8
2013	1482	96.5	15.3	6.5
2014	1458	89.5	16.2	7.5
2015	1460	93.0	15.6	8.3
2016	1437	98.0	14.6	7.8
2017	1448	96.0	15.0	7.9
2018	1478	93.6	15.7	7.8
2019	1504	94.7	15.8	8
2020	1460	94.6	15.4	9.3
2021	1472	90.8	16.2	13.5
2022	1456	94.4	15.4	15.5
2023	1467	94.6	15.5	24

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 Atholton High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$436 (3.1%)	$13,659 (96.9%)	$14,095
2020	$466 (3.1%)	$14,787 (96.9%)	$15,253
2021	$680 (4.7%)	$13,921 (95.3%)	$14,601
2022	$954 (5.5%)	$16,366 (94.5%)	$17,320
2023	$746 (4.2%)	$16,982 (95.8%)	$17,727

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Atholton 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 25^th of 138 High schools	Ranks 58^th of 127 High schools	27.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1504	1467	2.5%
African American	365	459	25.8%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	289	269	6.9%
Hispanic	130	191	46.9%
Pacific Islander	1	3	200%
White	625	428	31.5%
Two or More Races	93	113	21.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	8%	24%	15.9%

Schools Near Atholton 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)	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Atholton High	Public	9-12	6520 Freetown Rd	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7065	1,467	95	15.5	24.0%	428 (29.2%)	459 (31.3%)	191 (13.0%)	269 (18.3%)	2 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	113 (7.7%)	44.9	73^rd of 146 public high schools	50.0%		49.6	58^th of 127 public high schools	54.3%	15	14.9	66.2	66.2	7.4	18.4	$17,727	$746	$16,982
Hammond High	Public	9-12	8800 Guilford Rd	Columbia	21046	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7615	1,287	94	13.7	41.7%	302 (23.5%)	491 (38.2%)	244 (19.0%)	162 (12.6%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	82 (6.4%)	39.5	91^st of 146 public high schools	37.7%		50.5	53^rd of 127 public high schools	58.3%	38	13.2	66.2	66.2	10.5	15.1	$18,815	$871	$17,944
Wilde Lake High	Public	9-12	5460 Trumpeter Rd	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6965	1,341	98	13.6	44.3%	317 (23.6%)	589 (43.9%)	225 (16.8%)	94 (7.0%)	6 (0.4%)	4 (0.3%)	97 (7.2%)	36.7	98^th of 146 public high schools	32.9%		35.1	100^th of 127 public high schools	21.3%	2	5.8	54.1	54.1		8.8	$19,604	$808	$18,797
Oakland Mills High	Public	9-12	9410 Kilimanjaro Rd	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6945	1,401	103	13.6	42.9%	233 (16.6%)	614 (43.8%)	321 (22.9%)	123 (8.8%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	98 (7.0%)	32.9	114^th of 146 public high schools	21.9%		39.6	84^th of 127 public high schools	33.9%	30	6.7	52.0	52.0		8.0	$19,229	$876	$18,354
Reservoir High	Public	9-12	11550 Scaggsville Rd	Fulton	20759	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 888-8850	1,837	121	15.1	27.5%	411 (22.4%)	622 (33.9%)	365 (19.9%)	327 (17.8%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	106 (5.8%)	49.9	57^th of 146 public high schools	61.0%		48.2	61^st of 127 public high schools	52.0%	4	18.4	72.6	72.6	10.3	22.1	$16,849	$714	$16,135
River Hill High	Public	9-12	12101 Clarksville Pike	Clarksville	21029	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7120	1,424	84	16.8	7.5%	557 (39.1%)	155 (10.9%)	70 (4.9%)	556 (39.0%)	6 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	78 (5.5%)	81.2	6^th of 146 public high schools	95.9%		83.4	2^nd of 127 public high schools	98.4%	4	46.3	85.9	85.9	28.3	51.6	$16,511	$786	$15,725
Homewood School	Public	6-12	10914 Clarksville Pike	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7081	88	41	2.1	55.7%	19 (21.6%)	47 (53.4%)	10 (11.4%)	3 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (9.1%)	14.1	139^th of 146 public high schools	4.8%					(n/a)		30.8	25.6		5.3
Long Reach High	Public	9-12	6101 Old Dobbin Ln	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7117	1,714	126	13.6	41.4%	402 (23.5%)	540 (31.5%)	464 (27.1%)	206 (12.0%)	4 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	87 (5.1%)	36	100^th of 146 public high schools	31.5%		41.7	75^th of 127 public high schools	40.9%	25	9.7	63.3	63.3	5.9	11.9	$18,207	$771	$17,436
Howard High	Public	9-12	8700 Old Annapolis Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2867	1,741	112	15.6	20.9%	665 (38.2%)	450 (25.8%)	136 (7.8%)	366 (21.0%)	2 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	114 (6.5%)	58.7	35^th of 146 public high schools	76.0%		47	62^nd of 127 public high schools	51.2%	27	26.4	75.8	75.8	15.8	30.5	$17,408	$746	$16,662
Centennial High	Public	9-12	4300 Centennial Ln	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2856	1,392	84	16.5	17.0%	513 (36.9%)	158 (11.4%)	97 (7.0%)	556 (39.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	61 (4.4%)	77.4	10^th of 146 public high schools	93.2%		76.1	8^th of 127 public high schools	93.7%	2	43.3	86.0	86.0	20.5	52.6	$16,805	$794	$16,011

Frequently Asked Questions about Atholton High

How many students attend Atholton High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,467 students attended Atholton High.

Is Atholton High a good school?

Atholton High ranks 73^rd of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Atholton High?

Students at Atholton High are 31% African American, 29% White, 18% Asian, 13% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Atholton High?

Atholton High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Clemens Crossing Elementary

What district is Atholton High in?

Howard County Public Schools

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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.