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Excellent

#265 of 1,363 schools in MD

Top 19% in state

Walt Whitman High

High School · Montgomery County Public Schools · Bethesda, MD

A Montgomery County Public Schools high school where students score 16 points below what's typical for similar communities.

7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817

  • Math 17% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 89% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 96.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress9.7Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.89 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.3Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency16.5% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency88.7% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-13.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+37.6 pts
Overall Proficiency53% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)68% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-15.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile47th
College Readiness9.7Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate96%
AP Participation63.5%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment6.1Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.5:1
District spending per student$19,456
Chronic Absenteeism15.2%

Students at Walt Whitman High score 53% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 68%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency17%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency89%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 38 points since 2020, to 53% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
96%
ELA
97%
2010
Math
97%
ELA
96%
2011
Math
96%
ELA
96%
2012
Math
96%
ELA
97%
2013
Math
96%
ELA
96%
2014
Math
98%
ELA
97%
2015
Math
97%
ELA
93%
2016
Math
95%
ELA
46%
2018
Math
86%
ELA
91%
2019
Math
86%
ELA
91%
2020*
Math
91%
ELA
91%
2021*
Math
91%
ELA
91%
2022
Math
82%
ELA
90%
2025
Math
17%
ELA
89%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 87% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 90% (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

6.3%

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 Walt Whitman 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 14Car-Dependent
  • Transit 33Some Transit
  • Bike 34Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

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

Median income

$240,104

Median home value

$1,142,300

Median rent

$3,155/mo

College educated

85.3%

Homeownership

82.3%

Poverty rate

4.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20817; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
63.5% participation·State avg: 3.1 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics17sports offered
8 boys'·9 girls'·30 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
Landon SchoolPrivate · tuition7.83–120.7 mi697Compare →
Holton-arms SchoolPrivate · tuition7.43–121.3 mi668Compare →
Oneness Family SchoolPrivate · tuition8.6PK–122.0 mi85Compare →
Washington Waldorf SchoolPrivate · tuition7.4PK–122.0 mi253Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Montgomery County Public Schools

Schools in district
211
Rank in district
#81 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

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

About Walt Whitman High

Walt Whitman High is a public high school in Bethesda, MD, part of Montgomery County Public Schools, serving approximately 2,042 students in grades 9th-12th with a 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.1 out of 10 and ranks #265 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 87% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 90% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Walt Whitman High

What grades does Walt Whitman High serve?

Walt Whitman High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Walt Whitman High?

Walt Whitman High has an enrollment of approximately 2,042 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Walt Whitman High?

The student-teacher ratio at Walt Whitman High is 17.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Walt Whitman High rank in MD?

Walt Whitman High ranks #265 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Walt Whitman High's MySchoolScout rating?

Walt Whitman High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.1 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 Walt Whitman High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Walt Whitman High has 87% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 90% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Walt Whitman High a charter school?

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

Is Walt Whitman High a Title I school?

No, Walt Whitman High is not currently a Title I school.

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

6.3% of students at Walt Whitman 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
2,042
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
117
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Montgomery County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
15.2%
4-Year Graduation
96.0%
Area population (ZIP 20817)
37,738
Area average commute
30.2 min
Area median age
45.5
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 20817; 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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