Howard High

Q: Is Howard High a good school?

Howard High ranks 35 th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Howard High is a public high school located in Ellicott City, Maryland, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,741 students. It is part of the Howard County Public Schools district, which is ranked 2nd out of 25 districts in Maryland and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Howard High consistently performs above the state and district averages in English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency, with 75.8% of students proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to 63% for the district and 48.4% for the state. However, its Mathematics performance is more mixed, with 26.4% of students proficient or better, compared to 41.1% for the district and 24.1% for the state. The school's racial composition is more diverse than some nearby schools, with a higher percentage of African American (25.85%) and Asian (21.02%) students. Additionally, Howard High has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 20.85% in 2022-2023.

Compared to its higher-performing neighbors, such as Centennial High and Mount Hebron High, Howard High's academic performance, particularly in Mathematics, is generally lower. However, it outperforms some nearby schools, such as Hammond High, Wilde Lake High, and Oakland Mills High, in both Mathematics and ELA. The nearby Homewood School stands out as an outlier, with significantly lower academic performance and a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to Howard High and the other nearby schools.

Detail:

Public 9-12

8700 Old Annapolis Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21043-6920

(410) 313-2867

District: Howard County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
35^th of 146 Maryland High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,408

Feeder schools for Howard High:

Elementary:	Ilchester Elementary
	Phelps Luck Elementary
	Worthington Elementary
Middle:	Bonnie Branch Middle
	Ellicott Mills Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 15.2

Number of students: 1,529

Racial breakdown:

White:

36.3%

Asian:

25.8%

African American:

23.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 19.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Howard High ranks better than 76% of high schools in Maryland. It also ranks 6^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 58.69. (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 Student population at Howard High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (36.3%), Asian (25.8%), African American (23.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 19.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Howard High is 15.2. 8 high schools in the Howard County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Howard High employs 100.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Howard High is $17,408, which is the 6^th highest among 13 high schools in the Howard County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Howard High 35^th of 146 Maryland public high schools. (See Howard 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.)

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Rank History for Howard High

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	56.05	42^nd	201	79.1%
2005	69.86	27^th	204	86.8%
2006	70.50	44^th	204	78.4%
2007	79.01	17^th	209	91.9%
2008	82.99	15^th	214	93.0%
2009	81.70	17^th	213	92.0%
2010	80.45	29^th	220	86.8%
2011	84.71	17^th	183	90.7%
2012	84.48	8^th	187	95.7%
2013	86.25	5^th	185	97.3%
2014	82.62	9^th	231	96.1%
2015	67.27	51^st	233	78.1%
2016	67.74	56^th	233	76.0%
2017	70.28	29^th	180	83.9%
2018	60.18	51^st	197	74.1%
2019	64.67	36^th	138	73.9%
2022	55.95	51^st	225	77.3%
2023	47.03	62^nd	127	51.2%
2024	58.69	35^th	146	76.0%

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

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Enrollment information for Howard High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	908	242	46	11	0	n/a	n/a	4	1211
1990	867	238	51	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	1168
1991	862	237	45	12	0	n/a	n/a	-2	1154
1992	856	250	60	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	1179
1993	898	285	58	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	1261
1994	953	290	72	19	1	n/a	n/a	0	1335
1995	1176	379	87	39	1	n/a	n/a	0	1682
1996	1176	379	87	39	1	n/a	n/a	0	1682
1997	877	245	58	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	1202
1998	862	211	49	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	1142
1999	918	247	56	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	1242
2000	892	273	68	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	1249
2001	901	263	80	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	1257
2002	855	237	88	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	1199
2003	855	237	88	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	1199
2004	828	225	96	22	1	n/a	n/a	0	1172
2005	873	249	94	24	1	n/a	n/a	0	1241
2006	942	262	95	32	1	n/a	n/a	0	1332
2007	989	269	91	41	2	n/a	n/a	0	1392
2008	1007	292	95	50	1	n/a	n/a	0	1445
2009	1013	306	129	59	2	n/a	n/a	0	1509
2010	1035	346	160	68	2	n/a	n/a	0	1611
2011	934	302	153	105	6	0	133	0	1633
2012	945	337	161	100	5	2	149	0	1699
2013	997	340	166	93	5	4	146	0	1751
2014	970	344	173	104	5	3	126	0	1725
2015	973	347	202	107	2	2	125	0	1758
2016	949	375	229	109	2	0	108	0	1772
2017	915	402	272	118	1	0	122	0	1830
2018	942	406	302	125	1	0	136	0	1912
2019	895	408	321	130	1	2	133	0	1890
2020	898	423	323	133	3	4	126	0	1910
2021	824	411	317	142	3	4	127	0	1828
2022	738	437	356	130	3	5	120	3	1792
2023	665	450	366	136	2	4	114	4	1741
2024	555	365	394	101	3	3	105	3	1529

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 Howard High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1211	63.3	19.1	n/a
1990	1168	66.0	17.6	1.5
1991	1154	67.5	17.0	1.6
1992	1179	66.0	17.8	2.9
1993	1261	67.8	18.6	2.7
1994	1335	74.9	17.8	4.2
1995	1682	85.6	19.6	5.6
1996	1682	85.6	19.6	5.6
1997	1202	67.7	17.8	5.9
1998	1142	60.2	19.0	5.2
1999	1242	60.2	20.6	7.3
2000	1249	71.1	17.6	6.7
2001	1257	75.8	16.6	7.1
2002	1199	72.3	16.6	6.7
2003	1199	72.3	16.6	6.7
2004	1172	73.8	15.9	7.5
2005	1241	77.0	16.1	6.5
2006	1332	82.0	16.2	6.8
2007	1392	90.5	15.4	6.5
2008	1445	96.1	15.0	5.8
2009	1509	104.2	14.5	5.8
2010	1611	107.2	15.0	8.2
2011	1633	108.6	15.0	9.4
2012	1699	108.8	15.6	10.6
2013	1751	112.2	15.6	10.5
2014	1725	113.6	15.1	11
2015	1758	115.0	15.2	11.5
2016	1772	116.0	15.2	11.6
2017	1830	117.6	15.5	10.3
2018	1912	123.6	15.4	10
2019	1890	122.0	15.4	9.3
2020	1910	124.6	15.3	11.1
2021	1828	114.7	15.9	12.5
2022	1792	111.5	16.0	14.6
2023	1741	111.5	15.6	20.9
2024	1529	100.5	15.2	19.6

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 Howard High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1211	63.3	19.1	n/a
1990	1168	66.0	17.6	1.5
1991	1154	67.5	17.0	1.6
1992	1179	66.0	17.8	2.9
1993	1261	67.8	18.6	2.7
1994	1335	74.9	17.8	4.2
1995	1682	85.6	19.6	5.6
1996	1682	85.6	19.6	5.6
1997	1202	67.7	17.8	5.9
1998	1142	60.2	19.0	5.2
1999	1242	60.2	20.6	7.3
2000	1249	71.1	17.6	6.7
2001	1257	75.8	16.6	7.1
2002	1199	72.3	16.6	6.7
2003	1199	72.3	16.6	6.7
2004	1172	73.8	15.9	7.5
2005	1241	77.0	16.1	6.5
2006	1332	82.0	16.2	6.8
2007	1392	90.5	15.4	6.5
2008	1445	96.1	15.0	5.8
2009	1509	104.2	14.5	5.8
2010	1611	107.2	15.0	8.2
2011	1633	108.6	15.0	9.4
2012	1699	108.8	15.6	10.6
2013	1751	112.2	15.6	10.5
2014	1725	113.6	15.1	11
2015	1758	115.0	15.2	11.5
2016	1772	116.0	15.2	11.6
2017	1830	117.6	15.5	10.3
2018	1912	123.6	15.4	10
2019	1890	122.0	15.4	9.3
2020	1910	124.6	15.3	11.1
2021	1828	114.7	15.9	12.5
2022	1792	111.5	16.0	14.6
2023	1741	111.5	15.6	20.9
2024	1529	100.5	15.2	19.6

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 Howard High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$452 (3.3%)	$13,079 (96.7%)	$13,531
2020	$486 (3.4%)	$13,869 (96.6%)	$14,355
2021	$680 (4.9%)	$13,331 (95.1%)	$14,011
2022	$968 (5.9%)	$15,437 (94.1%)	$16,405
2023	$746 (4.3%)	$16,662 (95.7%)	$17,408

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Howard 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 36^th of 138 High schools	Ranks 62^nd of 127 High schools	22.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1890	1741	7.9%
African American	408	450	10.3%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	321	366	14%
Hispanic	130	136	4.6%
Pacific Islander	2	4	100%
White	895	665	25.7%
Two or More Races	133	114	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	9.3%	20.9%	11.6%

Schools Near Howard 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
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	1,529	101	15.2	19.6%	555 (36.3%)	365 (23.9%)	101 (6.6%)	394 (25.8%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	105 (6.9%)	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
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	1,448	114	12.6	37.2%	347 (24.0%)	416 (28.7%)	420 (29.0%)	174 (12.0%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	77 (5.3%)	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
Oakland Mills High	Public	9-12	9410 Kilimanjaro Rd	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6945	1,422	108	13.1	44.7%	216 (15.2%)	629 (44.2%)	339 (23.8%)	118 (8.3%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	108 (7.6%)	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
Wilde Lake High	Public	9-12	5460 Trumpeter Rd	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6965	1,270	98	12.9	42.3%	287 (22.6%)	561 (44.2%)	217 (17.1%)	82 (6.5%)	3 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	109 (8.6%)	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
Centennial High	Public	9-12	4300 Centennial Ln	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2856	1,364	86	15.8	17.8%	461 (33.8%)	169 (12.4%)	98 (7.2%)	569 (41.7%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	58 (4.3%)	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
Homewood School	Public	6-12	10914 Clarksville Pike	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7081	131	38	3.4	15.3%	41 (31.3%)	56 (42.7%)	17 (13.0%)	5 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.9%)	14.1	139^th of 146 public high schools	4.8%					(n/a)		30.8	25.6		5.3
Applications and Research Laboratory	Public	9-12	10920 Clarksville Pike	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6698	0	42	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Atholton High	Public	9-12	6520 Freetown Rd	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7065	1,498	94	15.9	24.0%	421 (28.1%)	470 (31.4%)	202 (13.5%)	276 (18.4%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	121 (8.1%)	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	1,167	85	13.7	38.9%	249 (21.3%)	499 (42.8%)	197 (16.9%)	132 (11.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	87 (7.5%)	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
Catonsville High	Public	9-12	421 Bloomsbury Ave	Baltimore	21228	Baltimore County	Baltimore County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 887-0808	1,733	108	16.0	40.8%	803 (46.3%)	404 (23.3%)	171 (9.9%)	252 (14.5%)	3 (0.2%)	6 (0.3%)	93 (5.4%)	46.8	65^th of 146 public high schools	55.5%		76.2	7^th of 127 public high schools	94.5%	58	17.1	68.8	68.8	19.8	16.5	$15,461	$1,549	$13,913

Frequently Asked Questions about Howard High

How many students attend Howard High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,529 students attended Howard High.

What schools feed into Howard High?

Howard High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Ilchester Elementary
Elementary : Phelps Luck Elementary
Elementary : Worthington Elementary
Middle : Bonnie Branch Middle
Middle : Ellicott Mills Middle

What district is Howard High in?

Howard County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Howard High?

Students at Howard High are 36% White, 26% Asian, 24% African American, 7% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

Is Howard High a good school?

Howard High ranks 35^th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Howard 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.