The reported proficiency rate for Science is 19%.
Original Research by School Decision on Woodlawn High
Woodlawn High is one of the larger comprehensive high schools in Baltimore County, serving roughly ninth through twelfth graders. The student body is predominantly Black, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of Asian and White students. More than half of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, placing it in a context where economic need is common. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and sits within the Baltimore County Public Schools system.
The academic picture is mixed, and a parent will want to examine it closely. In the most recently available state testing across math, English language arts, and science, proficiency levels are low. In English language arts, about three out of ten students scored proficient. In math and in science, that figure falls well below that. These are single-year snapshots, so there is no trend to point to, but the current attainment level is a significant concern. State testing data was available only for a single recent year, so improvement or decline over time cannot be assessed. The school serves all high school grades, and state testing applies to those grades, so the results reflect the school’s overall performance.
No graduation rate was provided in the data, which is a notable gap. For a school serving twelfth grade, this is a core metric. A parent should ask the school or district directly for its four-year graduation rate and any supporting measures such as dropout rates or college enrollment figures. Similarly, no data was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing ratios. Without these, it is hard to know how many students are consistently in class or how the school environment functions day to day.
The school does not report any special program data in the information provided. There is no mention of Advanced Placement offerings, career and technical education pathways, dual-enrollment options, or other specialized programs often found in larger high schools. This does not mean such programs do not exist, but it means they are not documented in the materials used here. A parent should check the school’s website or contact the counseling office to learn what courses and pathways are available beyond the standard curriculum.
Woodlawn High is part of Baltimore County Public Schools, a large district undergoing several notable changes. The district has adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum grounded in the science of reading, which will shape how students arrive at high school in future years. A new district-wide cell phone policy restricts phone use during instructional time, which may affect the classroom atmosphere. Boundary changes approved for the Hereford, Dulaney, and Loch Raven feeder systems will alter attendance zones for some neighborhoods, though it is unclear whether Woodlawn’s attendance area is affected. The district is also implementing the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a state plan that brings additional funding and mandates expansion of pre-K, higher teacher salaries, and stronger college and career readiness programs. A voter-approved bond issue directed substantial funds to school safety and security improvements across the district, including secure entrances and cameras.
Housing in the area around Woodlawn High is relatively affordable compared to state averages. Home values sit below the Maryland benchmark, and rents are moderate. The national economic context shows mortgage rates around the level that has persisted in recent years. Renters pay a share of income that is manageable by national standards.
Baltimore City, where the school is located, is a large urban center with a service-oriented economy anchored by Johns Hopkins Hospital and University. The city has a dense historic fabric with many walkable neighborhoods and a concentration of civic anchors around the Inner Harbor. The population has seen a slight decline in recent years, and a major infrastructure project is underway to replace a collapsed bridge. The school sits within the city limits but outside the downtown core, in a residential area.
For a family evaluating Woodlawn High, the central tension is clear. The school serves a large, diverse student body in a district that is actively investing in curriculum, safety, and state-mandated reforms. But the academic results are low, and key outcome data like graduation rates are absent from what is available. This school may fit a family that values a large, diverse public school environment and is prepared to supplement academics with outside support or to work with the school to understand what programs are available. A family looking for strong test scores and a clear track record of postsecondary success will have little in the data to reassure them and will need to gather more information directly from the school.
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