The reported proficiency rate for Science is 27%.
Original Research by School Decision on Northwood High
Northwood High is a regular public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Silver Spring, Maryland. It is part of Montgomery County Public Schools, a large district that accounts for a substantial share of the county’s budget and has recently adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum district-wide. The school itself is among the larger high schools in the county, with an enrollment that places it well above the typical size for its grade band.
Silver Spring is an unincorporated edge city that borders Washington, D.C., and functions as a dense, walkable urban center with a transit hub, civic buildings, cultural landmarks, and a mix of retail and residential development. The area has seen significant downtown redevelopment since the late 1990s, and a new light rail line connecting to Bethesda and College Park is under construction. Major federal employers such as NOAA and FDA are located nearby. The housing market is expensive relative to national benchmarks, and rents are high, reflecting the area’s proximity to the D.C. job market. The population is notably diverse, with large Salvadoran, Ethiopian, Indian, and Chinese communities, and a significant share of foreign-born residents.
The student body at Northwood reflects that diversity. The majority of students are Hispanic, with a substantial Black population, smaller shares of White and Asian students, and a small multiracial group. About six in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high concentration of lower-income households. Data on the share of students with disabilities or English learner status was not available in the information provided.
Academic performance data is limited. In the most recent year for which state test results appear in the record, roughly half of students met proficiency in English language arts. That figure comes from a single year, so no trend is available. No comparable math proficiency data was reported for the tested grade levels. There is an older science assessment result from an earlier school year, but it tested a very small number of students and is not a reliable measure of current performance. A parent would want to ask the school directly about more recent and complete testing results, including math and science. The four-year graduation rate was not provided.
No information was available on course offerings such as Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, or career and technical programs. The data also did not include discipline rates, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism figures. Because the comparison group within Montgomery County contained only a single district, no meaningful comparison to neighboring schools or districts could be made.
Northwood operates as a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation. Its Title I status was not reported. The district has been conducting a system-wide boundary analysis that could affect attendance areas, and families may want to track that process.
For a family considering Northwood, this is a large, diverse high school in a transit-connected, urbanized part of the Washington region with an expensive housing market. The school serves a student population that is majority low-income and heavily Hispanic. Academic data is sparse, with only one recent subject measure available and other key indicators missing from the record. A parent would need to follow up with the school for the full picture of academic performance, program offerings, and student support.
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