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#899 of 1,363 schools in MD

Watkins Mill High

High School · Montgomery County Public Schools · Gaithersburg, MD

A Montgomery County Public Schools high school where students score 8 points below what's typical for similar communities.

10301 Apple Ridge Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20879

  • Math 16% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 44% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 87.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress4.4Below Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.64 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.0Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency16% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43.6% (2025 MCAP)
Reading vs. State Avg-7.5 pts
Overall Proficiency30% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)37% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-7.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile32th
College Readiness8.1Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate87%
AP Participation13.4%
IB ProgramYes
Resources & Environment3.5Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.8:1
District spending per student$19,456
Chronic Absenteeism56.2%

Students at Watkins Mill High score 30% 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 Proficiency16%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency44%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 8 points since 2020, reaching 44% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
83%
ELA
79%
2010
Math
81%
ELA
83%
2011
Math
81%
ELA
83%
2012
Math
79%
ELA
80%
2013
Math
76%
ELA
72%
2014
Math
73%
ELA
72%
2015
Math
65%
ELA
63%
2016
Math
54%
ELA
22%
2018
Math
22%
ELA
34%
2019
Math
22%
ELA
34%
2020*
Math
20%
ELA
51%
2021*
Math
20%
ELA
51%
2022
Math
16%
ELA
56%
2025
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 59% (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 27 test records from MD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

53.3%

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 Watkins Mill 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 9Car-Dependent
  • Bike 16Somewhat Bikeable
  • 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

$105,109

Median home value

$433,500

Median rent

$1,895/mo

College educated

41.6%

Homeownership

70.8%

Poverty rate

6.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20879; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offeredIB Programme
13.4% participation·State avg: 3.1 AP courses·563 IB enrolled·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics16sports offered
8 boys'·8 girls'·28 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
Seneca Valley HighEnrollment path unverified6.79–122.6 mi2,386Compare →
Forbush School at Oakmont Upper SchoolPrivate · tuition6.5private9–123.5 mi32Compare →
Gaithersburg HighEnrollment path unverified4.49–123.5 mi2,454Compare →
Clarksburg HighEnrollment path unverified6.89–123.9 mi2,214Compare →

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
#176 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

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

About Watkins Mill High

Watkins Mill High is a public high school in Gaithersburg, MD, part of Montgomery County Public Schools, serving approximately 1,661 students in grades 9th-12th with a 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #899 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Watkins Mill High

What grades does Watkins Mill High serve?

Watkins Mill High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Watkins Mill High?

Watkins Mill High has an enrollment of approximately 1,661 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Watkins Mill High?

The student-teacher ratio at Watkins Mill High is 13.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Watkins Mill High rank in MD?

Watkins Mill High ranks #899 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Watkins Mill High's MySchoolScout rating?

Watkins Mill High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 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 Watkins Mill High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Watkins Mill High has 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Watkins Mill High a charter school?

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

Is Watkins Mill High a Title I school?

No, Watkins Mill High is not currently a Title I school.

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

53.3% of students at Watkins Mill 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
1,661
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
120
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Montgomery County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
56.2%
4-Year Graduation
87.0%
Area population (ZIP 20879)
26,120
Area average commute
32.1 min
Area median age
36.3
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 · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • 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 20879; 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, 2009-2022, multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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