The reported proficiency rate for Science is 14%.
Original Research by School Decision on Edgewood High
Edgewood High is a regular public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Harford County, Maryland. It sits within the Edgewood census-designated place, a primarily residential suburb of Baltimore bordered by the Edgewood Arsenal portion of Aberdeen Proving Ground to the south and the Gunpowder River to the southwest. The community is car-dependent, with Interstate 95 along its northern border, US 40 (Pulaski Highway) running through it, and a MARC train station providing commuter rail to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The population has been relatively stable with modest growth. Housing values in the zip code are below the state benchmark, while rents have risen more notably, and the typical monthly mortgage payment outpaces median rents in the area, making homeownership a stretch for many.
The school draws a student body that is predominantly Black, with a substantial share of students who are white, and others identifying as Hispanic or of two or more races, along with smaller Asian and American Indian populations. A significant majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is a comprehensive regular high school and is not a charter or magnet school, though publicly reported information notes that Edgewood High hosts two magnet programs on site: the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and the Academy of Finance.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year paint a mixed picture for the school. In English language arts, slightly more than half of students scored at the proficient level or above, a result that sits at the higher end of what is reported for this school. In mathematics, the proficiency rate was much lower, and in science, it was lower still. These figures include Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 results, which also showed a modest share of students reaching proficiency. This pattern, with English proficiency notably higher than math and science, is one a family weighing academic preparation at this school may want to explore further with the school, particularly in light of the math and science course sequences and support available.
The comparison to other districts in Harford County could not be made for the key metrics of proficiency and graduation rate because the cohort of districts with comparable data was too small. The district itself, Harford County Public Schools, has recently experienced a capital improvement project with the rebuilding of Homestead-Wakefield Elementary in Bel Air. Additionally, a state-mandated law called Keep Students In Class, which took effect with the 2024-2025 school year, has changed attendance and behavioral expectations across all Maryland districts.
Given the single year of assessment data available, there is no multi-year trend to assess. The school's graduation rate was not reported in the data provided. For a family looking at Edgewood High, the core academic picture is one where English performance is a relative bright spot, while math and science proficiency are areas of clear challenge. The school serves a large, diverse, and lower-income student population in a suburban community with a stable housing market and a significant federal employer nearby. The presence of the IB Diploma and Academy of Finance programs on campus may be worth investigating directly for families seeking those particular pathways.
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