Original Research by School Decision on Excel Academy at Francis M. Wood High
Excel Academy at Francis M. Wood High serves students in grades nine through twelve as an alternative school within Baltimore City Public Schools. For families considering this school, the most important thing to understand is its purpose. Alternative schools are designed for students who have not succeeded in a traditional high school setting, often offering a smaller, more supportive environment focused on getting students back on track toward graduation. This shapes every aspect of the school's academic profile and what one can expect from it.
The school is located on West Saratoga Street in Baltimore, an independent city with a service-oriented economy anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and University and the Port of Baltimore. The city itself is walkable, with historic districts and a downtown core centered on the Inner Harbor, but the population has seen a modest decline in recent years. A major infrastructure project to replace the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge is underway. The school's parent district, Baltimore City Public Schools, did not have publicly reported recent changes at the time of this review that would have a lasting impact on parents.
Excel Academy's enrollment is relatively small for a high school. The student body is overwhelmingly composed of African American students, and a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-need population. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school about its special education and language support services directly.
State testing data presents a mixed picture. In English language arts, proficiency was reported at a level that is moderate given the school's alternative mission. In math and Algebra I, proficiency was low. These results are from the most recent single year of data, so there is no trend line to assess improvement or decline. It is also worth noting that the school's science testing data from an earlier year was suppressed, which is common when student counts are very small and results could identify individuals. Given that this is an alternative school serving students who often arrive below grade level, these numbers are consistent with the challenges the school is designed to address.
No graduation rate was available for this school. Alternative schools often have different graduation timelines and pathways, and that data may be reported differently or not at all. The comparison data that would place Excel Academy among other district schools in Baltimore city was not applicable because key metrics like overall proficiency, graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism were missing for this entity.
What this school offers is a non-traditional pathway. A family considering Excel Academy should understand that it serves a specific population of students who need a different structure and more individualized attention than a comprehensive high school provides. The academic proficiency numbers are low, but they reflect the starting point of the students the school serves. The school environment data, including discipline rates and staffing ratios, was not available, so a conversation with school leadership about class sizes, support services, and the daily environment would be important for any family trying to determine if this is the right fit for a particular student.
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