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Bethesda Elementary

Summary:

Bethesda Elementary is a highly-regarded public elementary school in Bethesda, Maryland, serving 611 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. As part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district, which is ranked 7th out of 25 districts in Maryland, Bethesda Elementary has consistently been one of the top-performing elementary schools in the state, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade.

Bethesda Elementary's academic performance is truly exceptional, with 65.9% of students proficient or better in MCAP/Mathematics, compared to 33.4% for the district and 24.1% for the state. In MCAP/English Language Arts, 77% of Bethesda Elementary students are proficient or better, significantly higher than the district's 55.3% and the state's 48.4%. The school's diverse student population, with 39.93% White, 11.13% African American, 17.02% Hispanic, and 22.26% Asian students, is also noteworthy, as it reflects the broader diversity of the Bethesda community. Bethesda Elementary's performance across various student subgroups, including ranking 4th out of 528 Maryland elementary schools for White students, 5th out of 115 for English Language Learners, and 18th out of 546 for students of low socioeconomic status, is particularly impressive.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Wood Acres Elementary and Bannockburn Elementary, which have higher percentages of White students, Bethesda Elementary's diverse student population and exceptional academic performance make it a standout institution within the Montgomery County Public Schools district and the state of Maryland. With a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 16.3 students per teacher, Bethesda Elementary provides a strong and stable educational environment that effectively supports student learning.


Detail:

Public K-5

 7600 Arlington Rd
       Bethesda, MD  20814

(240) 204-5300

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
53rd of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,690 Help


Students who attend Bethesda Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Westland Middle
High:    Bethesda-Chevy Chase High

Student/teacher ratio:  16.3 Help
Number of students:  611

Racial breakdown:

White:
39.9%
Asian:
22.3%
Hispanic:
17.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  20.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Bethesda Elementary ranks better than 93.8% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 22nd among 130 ranked elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 93.32. (See more...)
Help
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
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Compare Details Student population at Bethesda Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (39.9%), Asian (22.3%), Hispanic (17%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 20.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bethesda Elementary is 16.3. 124 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Bethesda Elementary employs 37.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bethesda Elementary is $16,690. 114 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Montgomery County Public Schools:

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


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Rank History for Bethesda Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 2.90 776th 803 3.4%
2005 2.34 784th 805 2.6%
2006 5.97 762nd 804 5.2%
2007 4.13 788th 818 3.7%
2008 71.96 248th 838 70.4%
2009 71.21 263rd 850 69.1%
2010 79.41 135th 855 84.2%
2011 67.46 287th 853 66.4%
2012 73.64 203rd 857 76.3%
2013 72.54 225th 847 73.4%
2014 77.09 192nd 867 77.9%
2015 91.35 74th 859 91.4%
2016 87.94 108th 845 87.2%
2017 88.72 99th 847 88.3%
2018 83.54 133rd 857 84.5%
2019 91.42 68th 853 92.0%
2021 95.99 34th 802 95.8%
2022 93.98 51st 862 94.1%
2023 94.09 46th 855 94.6%
2024 93.32 53rd 859 93.8%
See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 92.03 5th 115 95.7%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 69.44 28th 136 79.4%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 83.72 18th 546 96.7%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 93.73 34th 796 95.7%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 95.40 29th 788 96.3%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 45.70 79th 128 38.3%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 70.31 68th 504 86.5%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 91.42 10th 347 97.1%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Bethesda Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 97.32 4th 528 99.2%
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.

Bethesda Elementary Test Scores
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Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
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District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Open Quote Started Kg. 1956. Great school. I hated the lunches. We ate lunch in classroom. I stuffed the milk carton full of all the food I refused to eat. Never got caught! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Bethesda Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 284 42 21 27 0 n/a n/a 0 374
1990 280 43 21 27 0 n/a n/a 1 372
1991 283 45 22 39 0 n/a n/a 0 389
1992 275 37 31 26 0 n/a n/a 0 369
1993 260 31 31 26 0 n/a n/a 0 348
1994 271 32 34 26 0 n/a n/a 0 363
1995 306 41 42 33 1 n/a n/a 0 423
1996 306 41 42 33 1 n/a n/a 0 423
1997 284 33 37 41 1 n/a n/a 0 396
1998 293 38 40 48 1 n/a n/a 0 420
1999 284 37 40 45 4 n/a n/a 0 410
2000 283 40 41 50 0 n/a n/a 0 414
2001 288 42 51 51 0 n/a n/a 0 432
2002 292 41 59 49 0 n/a n/a 0 441
2003 292 41 59 49 0 n/a n/a 0 441
2004 271 37 52 48 0 n/a n/a 0 408
2005 271 31 52 48 0 n/a n/a 0 402
2006 301 32 47 44 0 n/a n/a 0 424
2007 288 27 54 46 0 n/a n/a 0 415
2008 322 22 57 46 0 n/a n/a 0 447
2009 344 39 68 53 0 n/a n/a 0 504
2010 335 51 65 46 0 n/a n/a 0 497
2011 310 49 52 71 0 0 29 0 511
2012 307 34 64 56 0 0 30 0 491
2013 315 46 59 55 0 0 37 0 512
2014 295 39 71 58 0 0 31 0 494
2015 319 39 77 47 0 0 38 0 520
2016 346 36 82 55 0 0 37 0 556
2017 358 40 96 67 0 0 37 0 598
2018 361 41 96 79 0 0 42 0 619
2019 350 45 116 93 0 0 46 0 650
2020 339 51 123 99 0 0 53 0 665
2021 296 57 108 105 0 0 53 0 619
2022 280 79 124 105 0 1 51 0 640
2023 244 68 136 104 0 0 59 0 611

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 Bethesda Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 374 19.6 19.0 n/a
1990 372 20.0 18.6 11
1991 389 19.5 19.9 13.9
1992 369 22.3 16.5 10.6
1993 348 20.3 17.1 11.2
1994 363 21.3 17.0 10.7
1995 423 22.3 19.0 11.1
1996 423 22.3 19.0 11.1
1997 396 23.6 16.8 11.6
1998 420 22.6 18.6 11.7
1999 410 22.6 18.1 16.3
2000 414 24.4 17.0 11.1
2001 432 26.4 16.4 10.9
2002 441 27.6 16.0 10.2
2003 441 27.6 16.0 10.2
2004 408 27.4 14.9 8.6
2005 402 25.0 16.1 10.4
2006 424 26.0 16.3 7.1
2007 415 27.4 15.1 8.9
2008 447 29.4 15.2 7.4
2009 504 32.2 15.7 8.3
2010 497 33.6 14.7 6
2011 511 31.8 16.0 6.7
2012 491 30.6 16.0 5.5
2013 512 31.5 16.2 6.4
2014 494 33.4 14.7 6.3
2015 520 33.0 15.7 6.7
2016 556 35.0 15.8 7.6
2017 598 39.5 15.1 7.4
2018 619 40.4 15.3 6.1
2019 650 40.1 16.2 6.9
2020 665 42.5 15.6 8.4
2021 619 44.4 13.9 12.1
2022 640 43.3 14.7 15.6
2023 611 37.4 16.3 20.6

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 Bethesda Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 374 19.6 19.0 n/a
1990 372 20.0 18.6 11
1991 389 19.5 19.9 13.9
1992 369 22.3 16.5 10.6
1993 348 20.3 17.1 11.2
1994 363 21.3 17.0 10.7
1995 423 22.3 19.0 11.1
1996 423 22.3 19.0 11.1
1997 396 23.6 16.8 11.6
1998 420 22.6 18.6 11.7
1999 410 22.6 18.1 16.3
2000 414 24.4 17.0 11.1
2001 432 26.4 16.4 10.9
2002 441 27.6 16.0 10.2
2003 441 27.6 16.0 10.2
2004 408 27.4 14.9 8.6
2005 402 25.0 16.1 10.4
2006 424 26.0 16.3 7.1
2007 415 27.4 15.1 8.9
2008 447 29.4 15.2 7.4
2009 504 32.2 15.7 8.3
2010 497 33.6 14.7 6
2011 511 31.8 16.0 6.7
2012 491 30.6 16.0 5.5
2013 512 31.5 16.2 6.4
2014 494 33.4 14.7 6.3
2015 520 33.0 15.7 6.7
2016 556 35.0 15.8 7.6
2017 598 39.5 15.1 7.4
2018 619 40.4 15.3 6.1
2019 650 40.1 16.2 6.9
2020 665 42.5 15.6 8.4
2021 619 44.4 13.9 12.1
2022 640 43.3 14.7 15.6
2023 611 37.4 16.3 20.6

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 Bethesda Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $350 (2.5%) $13,786 (97.5%) $14,136
2020 $180 (1.3%) $14,139 (98.7%) $14,319
2021 $530 (3.3%) $15,620 (96.7%) $16,150
2022 $1,162 (7.8%) $13,777 (92.2%) $14,939
2023 $958 (5.7%) $15,731 (94.3%) $16,690

Data source: Maryland Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bethesda 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 68th of 853 Elementary schoolsRanks 46th of 855 Elementary schools
 2.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students650611
 6%
African American4568
 51.1%
American Indian00
Asian116136
 17.2%
Hispanic93104
 11.8%
Pacific Islander00
White350244
 30.3%
Two or More Races4659
 28.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients6.9%20.6%
 13.7%

Schools Near Bethesda Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Bethesda Elementary

Students at Bethesda Elementary are 40% White, 22% Asian, 17% Hispanic, 11% African American, 10% Two or more races.

Students who attend Bethesda Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Westland Middle
High : Bethesda-Chevy Chase High

In the 2022-23 school year, 611 students attended Bethesda Elementary.

Yes. Bethesda Elementary ranks in the top 6.2% of Maryland elementary 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.




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