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Very Good

#403 of 1,363 schools in MD

Top 30% in state

Walter Johnson High

High School · Montgomery County Public Schools · Bethesda, MD

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

6400 Rock Spring Dr, Bethesda, MD 20814

  • Math 12% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 84% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 95.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress9.4Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.39 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.2Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency11.6% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency84.4% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-18.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+33.3 pts
Overall Proficiency48% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)61% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-12.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile46th
College Readiness9.4Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate95%
AP Participation54.3%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment4.0Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18.8:1
District spending per student$19,456
Chronic Absenteeism22.3%

Students at Walter Johnson High score 48% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 61%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency12%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency84%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 35 points since 2020, to 48% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
95%
ELA
94%
2010
Math
93%
ELA
94%
2011
Math
95%
ELA
94%
2012
Math
96%
ELA
96%
2013
Math
96%
ELA
97%
2014
Math
96%
ELA
93%
2015
Math
95%
ELA
93%
2016
Math
94%
ELA
66%
2018
Math
78%
ELA
87%
2019
Math
78%
ELA
87%
2020*
Math
82%
ELA
84%
2021*
Math
82%
ELA
84%
2022
Math
67%
ELA
80%
2025
Math
12%
ELA
84%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 83% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 88% (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

18.2%

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 Walter Johnson 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 70Very Walkable
  • Transit 49Some Transit
  • Bike 56Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

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

Median income

$150,401

Median home value

$976,500

Median rent

$2,329/mo

College educated

84.3%

Homeownership

52.6%

Poverty rate

3.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20814; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
54.3% 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
Rock Terrace SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.66–121.1 mi79Compare →
Georgetown Preparatory SchoolPrivate · tuition6.7private9–121.2 mi507Compare →
Rochambeau-the French Intl SchoolPrivate · tuition7.0privatePK–121.2 mi986Compare →
Bethesda-chevy Chase HighEnrollment path unverified7.89–12Not available2,369Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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
#108 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

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

About Walter Johnson High

Walter Johnson High is a public high school in Bethesda, MD, part of Montgomery County Public Schools, serving approximately 2,984 students in grades 9th-12th with a 18.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 out of 10 and ranks #403 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 83% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 88% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

What's said publicly about Walter Johnson High

Sources:Wikipedia

Synthesized from public, attributable sources. Updated April 2026.

Walter Johnson High School is a public high school located in Bethesda, Maryland 2. The institution was founded in 1956 2. It was named after Walter Johnson, an American baseball player who lived in Montgomery County, Maryland 2. The school holds the distinction of being the first high school named after a Major League Baseball player 2.
Sources (1)
  1. en.wikipedia.org
Generated by AI from public sources. Every claim is grounded in a cited source.Report inaccuracy

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Walter Johnson High

What grades does Walter Johnson High serve?

Walter Johnson High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Walter Johnson High?

Walter Johnson High has an enrollment of approximately 2,984 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter Johnson High?

The student-teacher ratio at Walter Johnson High is 18.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Walter Johnson High rank in MD?

Walter Johnson High ranks #403 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Walter Johnson High's MySchoolScout rating?

Walter Johnson High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 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 Walter Johnson High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Walter Johnson High has 83% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 88% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Walter Johnson High a charter school?

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

Is Walter Johnson High a Title I school?

No, Walter Johnson High is not currently a Title I school.

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

18.2% of students at Walter Johnson 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
2,984
Student-Teacher Ratio
18.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
159
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Montgomery County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
22.3%
4-Year Graduation
95.0%
Area population (ZIP 20814)
30,822
Area average commute
28.1 min
Area median age
41.3
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 20814; 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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