Summary:
The 20711 zip code area in Maryland is home to two schools - Southern Middle School and Lothian Elementary School. While both schools have their strengths, they also face unique challenges in academic performance, resource allocation, and student demographics.
Southern Middle School stands out as the higher-performing of the two, ranking 130 out of 328 Maryland middle schools and earning a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school excels in English Language Arts and Algebra I, with proficiency rates above the state average. However, it struggles in Mathematics, with only 19.1% of students proficient or better, compared to the state average of 24.1%. Lothian Elementary School, on the other hand, performs above the state average in ELA and Mathematics for grades 3-4 but falls behind in grade 5, particularly in Science.
The differences in resource allocation and student demographics between the two schools may contribute to the observed performance gaps. Lothian Elementary School spends more per student than Southern Middle School, yet its academic performance is generally lower, suggesting that factors beyond just funding may be at play. Additionally, Southern Middle School has a higher percentage of White students, while Lothian Elementary School has a more diverse student population with a higher percentage of Hispanic students. The higher free/reduced lunch rate at Lothian Elementary School may also indicate a greater concentration of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which could contribute to the school's lower academic performance.
Thank you for your feedback!