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Below Average

#1156 of 1,363 schools in MD

Gaithersburg High

High School · Montgomery County Public Schools · Gaithersburg, MD

A Montgomery County Public Schools high school where students score 13 points below what's typical for similar communities.

101 Education Blvd, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

  • Math 6% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 43% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 80.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress4.0Below Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.77 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.9Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency6.2% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency42.8% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-24 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-8.3 pts
Overall Proficiency25% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)37% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-12.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile20th
College Readiness5.3Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate80%
AP Participation16.2%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment4.3Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.9:1
District spending per student$19,456
Chronic Absenteeism50.4%

Students at Gaithersburg High score 24% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 37%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency6%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency43%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 10 points since 2020, to 25% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
86%
ELA
80%
2010
Math
90%
ELA
83%
2011
Math
91%
ELA
89%
2012
Math
91%
ELA
86%
2013
Math
92%
ELA
89%
2014
Math
87%
ELA
83%
2015
Math
83%
ELA
73%
2016
Math
70%
ELA
30%
2018
Math
33%
ELA
58%
2019
Math
33%
ELA
58%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
42%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
42%
2022
Math
23%
ELA
48%
2025
Math
6%
ELA
43%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 60% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 65% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from MD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

53.8%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Gaithersburg High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Washington DC map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 79Very Walkable
  • Transit 48Some Transit
  • Bike 69Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,565/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Gaithersburg), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$86,103

Median home value

$462,500

Median rent

$1,862/mo

College educated

35.2%

Homeownership

43.9%

Poverty rate

11.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20877; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
16.2% participation·State avg: 3.1 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics16sports offered
8 boys'·8 girls'·27 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Forbush School at Oakmont Upper SchoolPrivate · tuition6.5private9–120.8 mi32Compare →
Marcia D Smith SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated9–121.2 mi16Compare →
John L Gildner Regional Inst for Children & AdolEnrollment path unverified5.86–122.3 mi74Compare →
The Katherine Thomas SchoolPrivate · tuition9.1privatePK–122.6 mi162Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Montgomery County Public Schools

Schools in district
211
Rank in district
#198 of 206
District spending per student
$19,456NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Gaithersburg High is listed in Montgomery County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Gaithersburg High

Gaithersburg High is a public high school in Gaithersburg, MD, part of Montgomery County Public Schools, serving approximately 2,454 students in grades 9th-12th with a 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,156 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 60% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 65% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Gaithersburg High

What grades does Gaithersburg High serve?

Gaithersburg High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Gaithersburg High?

Gaithersburg High has an enrollment of approximately 2,454 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Gaithersburg High?

The student-teacher ratio at Gaithersburg High is 13.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Gaithersburg High rank in MD?

Gaithersburg High ranks #1,156 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Gaithersburg High's MySchoolScout rating?

Gaithersburg High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Gaithersburg High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Gaithersburg High has 60% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 65% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Gaithersburg High a charter school?

No, Gaithersburg High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Gaithersburg High a Title I school?

No, Gaithersburg High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Gaithersburg High?

53.8% of students at Gaithersburg High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
2,454
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
177
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Montgomery County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
50.4%
4-Year Graduation
80.0%
Area population (ZIP 20877)
39,068
Area average commute
30.7 min
Area median age
37.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MCAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MCAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 20877; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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