Bells Mill Elementary

Summary:

Bells Mill Elementary is a highly-rated public elementary school located in Potomac, Maryland, serving 611 students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. As part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district, which is ranked 7th out of 25 districts in Maryland, Bells Mill consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state.

Bells Mill Elementary's academic performance is truly exceptional, with students significantly outperforming the state and district averages in both mathematics and English language arts (ELA) assessments. In the 2023-2024 school year, 70.5% of Bells Mill students were proficient or better in mathematics, compared to 33.4% for the Montgomery County Public Schools district and 24.1% for the state of Maryland. The school's ELA performance is even more impressive, with 81.3% of students proficient or better, compared to 55.3% for the district and 48.4% for the state. Bells Mill's diverse student population, with 40.59% White, 14.57% African American, 9.66% Hispanic, and 27.17% Asian students, is also noteworthy, as it reflects the broader diversity of the Potomac community.

When compared to nearby schools, Bells Mill Elementary stands out. While schools like Seven Locks Elementary and Cold Spring Elementary also demonstrate strong academic performance, Bells Mill consistently outperforms them in both mathematics and ELA assessments. Additionally, Bells Mill's diverse student population is more pronounced than some of the nearby schools, such as Wyngate Elementary and Farmland Elementary, which have higher percentages of White students. These factors, combined with the school's relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggest that Bells Mill Elementary provides a unique and exceptional educational experience for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

8225 Bells Mill Rd
Potomac, MD 20854-4066

(240) 740-0480

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
31^st of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,513

Students who attend Bells Mill Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Cabin John Middle
High:	Winston Churchill High

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 591

Racial breakdown:

White:

41.1%

Asian:

25.7%

African American:

14.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 17.4%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Bells Mill Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bells Mill Elementary ranks better than 96.4% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 14^th among 130 ranked elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.68. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Bells Mill Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (41.1%), Asian (25.7%), African American (14%). (See more...)

Compare Details 17.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bells Mill Elementary is 16.5. 124 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Bells Mill Elementary employs 35.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bells Mill Elementary is $15,513. 132 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Bells Mill Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Montgomery County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Montgomery County Public Schools 7^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Bells Mill Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Bells Mill Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	8.02	740^th	803	7.8%
2005	12.54	724^th	805	10.1%
2006	12.96	714^th	804	11.2%
2007	5.16	776^th	818	5.1%
2008	85.97	40^th	838	95.2%
2009	83.00	83^rd	850	90.2%
2010	82.11	92^nd	855	89.2%
2011	85.47	45^th	853	94.7%
2012	84.37	50^th	857	94.2%
2013	82.44	97^th	847	88.5%
2014	86.03	54^th	867	93.8%
2015	95.89	24^th	859	97.2%
2016	95.92	19^th	845	97.8%
2017	96.20	20^th	847	97.6%
2018	95.33	36^th	857	95.8%
2019	95.40	33^rd	853	96.1%
2021	97.78	17^th	802	97.9%
2022	97.32	15^th	862	98.3%
2023	97.60	15^th	855	98.2%
2024	95.68	31^st	859	96.4%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Bells Mill Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	97.09	14^th	796	98.2%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bells Mill Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	96.51	22^nd	788	97.2%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Bells Mill Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	78.66	23^rd	128	82.0%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for White students at Bells Mill Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	85.39	50^th	528	90.5%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Maryland State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Bells Mill Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	300	65	82	23	2	n/a	n/a	0	472
1990	286	63	59	9	2	n/a	n/a	-1	418
1991	276	80	57	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	426
1992	233	78	51	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	384
1993	221	77	46	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	366
1994	242	73	39	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	369
1995	212	73	58	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	357
1996	212	73	58	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	357
1997	238	81	68	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	401
1998	252	63	77	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	409
1999	251	60	80	17	3	n/a	n/a	0	411
2000	258	76	84	27	2	n/a	n/a	0	447
2001	264	68	94	24	0	n/a	n/a	0	450
2002	276	65	101	22	2	n/a	n/a	0	466
2003	276	65	101	22	2	n/a	n/a	0	466
2004	290	50	95	26	2	n/a	n/a	0	463
2005	292	55	87	32	3	n/a	n/a	0	469
2006	287	53	86	34	4	n/a	n/a	0	464
2007	304	48	86	34	2	n/a	n/a	0	474
2008	249	48	71	35	3	n/a	n/a	0	406
2009	244	57	74	26	2	n/a	n/a	0	403
2010	302	74	110	33	2	n/a	n/a	0	521
2011	300	71	97	42	1	0	27	0	538
2012	307	76	109	37	1	0	30	0	560
2013	307	70	130	41	1	0	29	0	578
2014	299	71	140	44	1	0	37	0	592
2015	300	68	155	50	1	0	37	0	611
2016	290	67	165	63	1	0	40	0	626
2017	284	68	168	59	0	0	35	0	614
2018	269	67	182	57	0	0	34	0	609
2019	270	66	192	54	0	0	37	0	619
2020	276	80	181	58	1	1	45	0	642
2021	233	74	171	56	1	1	43	0	579
2022	236	85	152	62	0	1	43	0	579
2023	248	89	166	59	0	0	49	0	611
2024	243	83	152	63	0	1	49	0	591

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bells Mill Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	472	23.4	20.1	n/a
1990	418	22.5	18.5	3.1
1991	426	23.1	18.4	9.9
1992	384	21.7	17.6	15.4
1993	366	21.2	17.3	16.1
1994	369	20.2	18.3	13.3
1995	357	18.5	19.3	15.1
1996	357	18.5	19.3	15.1
1997	401	21.0	19.1	16.7
1998	409	21.3	19.2	13.9
1999	411	21.3	19.3	16.8
2000	447	27.0	16.6	13.2
2001	450	25.8	17.4	17.1
2002	466	25.2	18.5	12.9
2003	466	25.2	18.5	12.9
2004	463	28.3	16.4	11
2005	469	24.0	19.5	11.3
2006	464	28.0	16.6	10.1
2007	474	29.3	16.2	7.6
2008	406	26.3	15.4	8.6
2009	403	25.0	16.1	9.9
2010	521	31.8	16.3	11.3
2011	538	32.3	16.6	10.6
2012	560	32.5	17.2	11.8
2013	578	31.7	18.2	11.6
2014	592	34.1	17.3	10.3
2015	611	33.0	18.5	9.5
2016	626	35.0	17.8	11
2017	614	36.5	16.8	9.8
2018	609	35.3	17.2	9.7
2019	619	35.7	17.3	8.4
2020	642	35.9	17.8	9.8
2021	579	35.4	16.3	10.5
2022	579	35.7	16.1	12.8
2023	611	37.0	16.5	16.4
2024	591	35.8	16.5	17.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Bells Mill Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	472	23.4	20.1	n/a
1990	418	22.5	18.5	3.1
1991	426	23.1	18.4	9.9
1992	384	21.7	17.6	15.4
1993	366	21.2	17.3	16.1
1994	369	20.2	18.3	13.3
1995	357	18.5	19.3	15.1
1996	357	18.5	19.3	15.1
1997	401	21.0	19.1	16.7
1998	409	21.3	19.2	13.9
1999	411	21.3	19.3	16.8
2000	447	27.0	16.6	13.2
2001	450	25.8	17.4	17.1
2002	466	25.2	18.5	12.9
2003	466	25.2	18.5	12.9
2004	463	28.3	16.4	11
2005	469	24.0	19.5	11.3
2006	464	28.0	16.6	10.1
2007	474	29.3	16.2	7.6
2008	406	26.3	15.4	8.6
2009	403	25.0	16.1	9.9
2010	521	31.8	16.3	11.3
2011	538	32.3	16.6	10.6
2012	560	32.5	17.2	11.8
2013	578	31.7	18.2	11.6
2014	592	34.1	17.3	10.3
2015	611	33.0	18.5	9.5
2016	626	35.0	17.8	11
2017	614	36.5	16.8	9.8
2018	609	35.3	17.2	9.7
2019	619	35.7	17.3	8.4
2020	642	35.9	17.8	9.8
2021	579	35.4	16.3	10.5
2022	579	35.7	16.1	12.8
2023	611	37.0	16.5	16.4
2024	591	35.8	16.5	17.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bells Mill Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$351 (2.6%)	$13,108 (97.4%)	$13,459
2020	$240 (1.9%)	$12,655 (98.1%)	$12,895
2021	$600 (4.2%)	$13,819 (95.8%)	$14,418
2022	$1,296 (9.3%)	$12,699 (90.7%)	$13,995
2023	$1,028 (6.6%)	$14,485 (93.4%)	$15,513

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bells Mill Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 33^rd of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 15^th of 855 Elementary schools	2.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	619	611	1.3%
African American	66	89	34.8%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	192	166	13.5%
Hispanic	54	59	9.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	270	248	8.1%
Two or More Races	37	49	32.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	8.4%	16.4%	8%

Schools Near Bells Mill Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAP Mathematics (2024)				MCAP English Language Arts (2024)				MCAP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bells Mill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8225 Bells Mill Rd	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0480	591	36	16.5	17.4%	243 (41.1%)	83 (14.0%)	63 (10.7%)	152 (25.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	49 (8.3%)	95.7	31^st of 859 public elementary schools	96.4%		97.6	15^th of 855 public elementary schools	98.2%	16	81.8	63.4	67.6	70.5	87.5	75.2	81.9	81.3	54.3	$15,513	$1,028	$14,485
Seven Locks Elementary	Public	K-5	9500 Seven Locks Road	Bethesda	20817	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0940	372	25	14.7	5.9%	198 (53.2%)	35 (9.4%)	35 (9.4%)	80 (21.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.9%)	98.2	6^th of 859 public elementary schools	99.3%		97.7	14^th of 855 public elementary schools	98.4%	8	86.2	77.8	75.8	79.9	81.5	95.1	86.4	87.6	59.1	$16,438	$693	$15,745
Beverly Farms Elementary	Public	K-5	8501 Post Oak Road	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0200	561	34	16.7	7.8%	255 (45.5%)	39 (7.0%)	42 (7.5%)	177 (31.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (8.2%)	96	28^th of 859 public elementary schools	96.7%		94.3	44^th of 855 public elementary schools	94.9%	16	81.6	63.4	63.9	68.7	83.3	86.9	80.3	83.3	52.1	$16,234	$723	$15,511
Farmland Elementary	Public	K-5	7000 Old Gate Road	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0660	813	51	16.0	16.5%	321 (39.5%)	81 (10.0%)	111 (13.7%)	253 (31.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (5.3%)	86.2	110^th of 859 public elementary schools	87.2%		90.9	73^rd of 855 public elementary schools	91.5%	37	62.4	55.4	61.9	59.8	61.7	70.5	66.4	66.2	40.7	$16,224	$1,188	$15,036
Ritchie Park Elementary	Public	K-5	1514 Dunster Rd	Rockville	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-6310	361	23	15.7	13.0%	172 (47.6%)	40 (11.1%)	48 (13.3%)	76 (21.1%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.8%)	95.8	29^th of 859 public elementary schools	96.6%		94.9	37^th of 855 public elementary schools	95.7%	8	81.3	58.5	74.2	72.1	84.1	86.5	78.5	82.8	50.8	$17,808	$1,092	$16,715
Cold Spring Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	9201 Falls Chapel Way	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-4390	335	22	14.9	3.6%	152 (45.4%)	19 (5.7%)	20 (6.0%)	119 (35.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.5%)	98.2	7^th of 859 public elementary schools	99.2%		98	9^th of 855 public elementary schools	98.9%	2	77.8	84.3	77.4	80.5	86.1	92.1	77.9	85.0	68.4	$17,037	$1,120	$15,917
Wayside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10011 Glen Rd	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0240	470	35	13.3	8.9%	173 (36.8%)	38 (8.1%)	43 (9.1%)	188 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.0%)	97.5	12^th of 859 public elementary schools	98.6%		97.9	12^th of 855 public elementary schools	98.6%		81.3	80.0	73.6	78.1	84.4	94.0	81.6	86.8	51.1	$19,104	$811	$18,292
Ashburton Elementary	Public	K-5	6314 Lone Oak Dr	Bethesda	20817	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-1300	821	49	16.6	18.3%	292 (35.6%)	148 (18.0%)	145 (17.7%)	159 (19.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (9.1%)	83.3	140^th of 859 public elementary schools	83.7%		80	162^nd of 855 public elementary schools	81.1%	22	66.4	52.5	57.9	58.4	61.6	68.8	60.4	63.7	36.1	$15,390	$998	$14,392
Luxmanor Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6201 Tilden Ln	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0820	720	51	14.0	26.5%	181 (25.1%)	120 (16.7%)	168 (23.3%)	190 (26.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	60 (8.3%)	80.1	167^th of 859 public elementary schools	80.6%		88	99^th of 855 public elementary schools	88.4%	68	55.7	53.1	57.1	55.2	65.5	61.1	67.7	64.6	30.2	$18,156	$1,027	$17,129
Potomac Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	10311 River Rd	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-4360	435	25	17.3	8.5%	169 (38.9%)	32 (7.4%)	39 (9.0%)	149 (34.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (10.3%)	96.6	23^rd of 859 public elementary schools	97.3%		96.4	24^th of 855 public elementary schools	97.2%	1	76.5	76.8	77.3	76.8	92.7	80.2	74.2	83.0	53.1	$16,134	$702	$15,432

Frequently Asked Questions about Bells Mill Elementary

What schools do graduates of Bells Mill Elementary attend?

Students who attend Bells Mill Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cabin John Middle
High : Winston Churchill High

Is Bells Mill Elementary a good school?

Yes! Bells Mill Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 31^st of 859 Maryland elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Bells Mill Elementary?

Students at Bells Mill Elementary are 41% White, 26% Asian, 14% African American, 11% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races.

How many students attend Bells Mill Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 591 students attended Bells Mill Elementary.

What district is Bells Mill Elementary in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.