Darnestown Elementary

Q: Is Darnestown Elementary a good school?

Darnestown Elementary ranks 174 th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Darnestown Elementary is a high-performing public elementary school in Gaithersburg, Maryland, serving around 340 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. As part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district, Darnestown Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, with students significantly outperforming their peers in Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Science.

Darnestown Elementary's academic excellence is evident in its consistent top rankings, with students scoring proficiency rates well above the state and county averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 53.6% of Darnestown students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to just 33.4% for Montgomery County and 24.1% for the state. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 11.9, suggesting it has the resources to provide more individualized attention and support to its students.

However, Darnestown Elementary's student population differs significantly from nearby schools, with a much higher percentage of white students (60.59%) and a lower percentage of minority students, as well as a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (14.12%). This demographic and socioeconomic disparity may raise concerns about equity and access to high-quality education in the district, and it would be important to investigate the factors contributing to these differences to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to succeed.

Detail:

Public K-5

15030 Turkey Foot Rd
Gaithersburg, MD 20878-3901

(301) 284-4260

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
174^th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $23,806

Students who attend Darnestown Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Lakelands Park Middle
High:	Northwest High

Student/teacher ratio: 11.9

Number of students: 340

Racial breakdown:

White:

60.6%

Asian:

12.4%

Hispanic:

10.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 14.1%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Darnestown Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Darnestown Elementary ranks better than 79.7% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 51^st among 130 ranked elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 78.91. (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 Racial makeup is: White (60.6%), Asian (12.4%), Hispanic (10.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 14.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Darnestown Elementary is 11.9, which is the 42^nd best among 130 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Darnestown Elementary employs 28.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Darnestown Elementary is $23,806, which is the 14^th highest among 130 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Darnestown 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 Darnestown Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Darnestown Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	3.55	772^nd	803	3.9%
2005	4.80	768^th	805	4.6%
2006	13.62	708^th	804	11.9%
2007	8.08	754^th	818	7.8%
2008	84.84	56^th	838	93.3%
2009	85.06	58^th	850	93.2%
2010	85.16	53^rd	855	93.8%
2011	77.10	154^th	853	81.9%
2012	73.51	205^th	857	76.1%
2013	73.22	217^th	847	74.4%
2014	69.49	292^nd	867	66.3%
2015	84.55	133^rd	859	84.5%
2016	90.61	78^th	845	90.8%
2017	94.99	34^th	847	96.0%
2018	87.40	90^th	857	89.5%
2019	81.38	152^nd	853	82.2%
2021	78.76	125^th	802	84.4%
2022	86.71	116^th	862	86.5%
2023	80.73	157^th	855	81.6%
2024	78.91	174^th	859	79.7%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Darnestown Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	76.87	129^th	796	83.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Darnestown Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	82.48	97^th	788	87.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Darnestown Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	66.27	154^th	528	70.8%

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:

by a parent
Thursday, January 18, 2024

Excellent school, great teachers, small close-knit community. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Darnestown Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	361	17	13	15	1	n/a	n/a	407
1990	368	18	13	10	2	n/a	n/a	411
1991	333	19	14	11	3	n/a	n/a	380
1992	310	15	11	12	3	n/a	n/a	351
1993	282	22	9	14	2	n/a	n/a	329
1994	284	17	8	12	2	n/a	n/a	323
1995	299	20	15	10	0	n/a	n/a	344
1996	299	20	15	10	0	n/a	n/a	344
1997	307	20	19	8	0	n/a	n/a	354
1998	278	15	15	3	0	n/a	n/a	311
1999	279	9	11	7	0	n/a	n/a	306
2000	306	12	17	7	0	n/a	n/a	342
2001	338	14	10	8	0	n/a	n/a	370
2002	343	18	23	13	1	n/a	n/a	398
2003	343	18	23	13	1	n/a	n/a	398
2004	332	16	30	14	1	n/a	n/a	393
2005	333	17	37	15	1	n/a	n/a	403
2006	337	15	41	22	3	n/a	n/a	418
2007	303	16	43	20	2	n/a	n/a	384
2008	307	17	40	16	2	n/a	n/a	382
2009	306	12	41	15	2	n/a	n/a	376
2010	295	17	49	15	2	n/a	n/a	378
2011	276	12	46	19	1	0	19	373
2012	274	9	37	13	1	0	17	351
2013	257	12	36	18	1	0	21	345
2014	233	9	35	21	0	0	15	313
2015	221	15	35	25	0	0	16	312
2016	216	14	27	17	0	0	16	290
2017	212	16	30	16	0	0	18	292
2018	208	17	32	10	0	0	17	284
2019	203	35	38	17	0	0	17	310
2020	216	25	41	25	0	0	16	323
2021	195	26	38	21	0	0	21	301
2022	195	27	36	31	1	0	24	314
2023	206	27	42	37	1	0	27	340

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 Darnestown Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	407	19.2	21.1	n/a
1990	411	19.8	20.7	1.5
1991	380	19.2	19.7	1.3
1992	351	18.7	18.7	4
1993	329	18.1	18.2	4.3
1994	323	18.1	17.8	5.6
1995	344	18.7	18.4	3.8
1996	344	18.7	18.4	3.8
1997	354	19.0	18.6	3.4
1998	311	14.9	20.9	1
1999	306	14.9	20.5	1.3
2000	342	18.1	18.9	1.5
2001	370	22.4	16.5	0.8
2002	398	22.4	17.8	2.3
2003	398	22.4	17.8	2.3
2004	393	22.2	17.7	3.1
2005	403	19.0	21.2	4
2006	418	22.0	19.0	4.1
2007	384	24.6	15.6	2.9
2008	382	23.4	16.3	3.1
2009	376	23.1	16.3	1.6
2010	378	24.1	15.6	4
2011	373	21.6	17.2	4.6
2012	351	19.9	17.6	3.4
2013	345	19.3	17.8	3.2
2014	313	18.4	17.0	6.1
2015	312	18.0	17.3	4.8
2016	290	17.0	17.0	7.2
2017	292	17.0	17.1	7.2
2018	284	17.5	16.2	3.5
2019	310	23.3	13.3	5.2
2020	323	24.3	13.2	5.3
2021	301	24.0	12.5	5.6
2022	314	25.6	12.2	9.9
2023	340	28.5	11.9	14.1

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 Darnestown Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	407	19.2	21.1	n/a
1990	411	19.8	20.7	1.5
1991	380	19.2	19.7	1.3
1992	351	18.7	18.7	4
1993	329	18.1	18.2	4.3
1994	323	18.1	17.8	5.6
1995	344	18.7	18.4	3.8
1996	344	18.7	18.4	3.8
1997	354	19.0	18.6	3.4
1998	311	14.9	20.9	1
1999	306	14.9	20.5	1.3
2000	342	18.1	18.9	1.5
2001	370	22.4	16.5	0.8
2002	398	22.4	17.8	2.3
2003	398	22.4	17.8	2.3
2004	393	22.2	17.7	3.1
2005	403	19.0	21.2	4
2006	418	22.0	19.0	4.1
2007	384	24.6	15.6	2.9
2008	382	23.4	16.3	3.1
2009	376	23.1	16.3	1.6
2010	378	24.1	15.6	4
2011	373	21.6	17.2	4.6
2012	351	19.9	17.6	3.4
2013	345	19.3	17.8	3.2
2014	313	18.4	17.0	6.1
2015	312	18.0	17.3	4.8
2016	290	17.0	17.0	7.2
2017	292	17.0	17.1	7.2
2018	284	17.5	16.2	3.5
2019	310	23.3	13.3	5.2
2020	323	24.3	13.2	5.3
2021	301	24.0	12.5	5.6
2022	314	25.6	12.2	9.9
2023	340	28.5	11.9	14.1

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 Darnestown Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$535 (2.9%)	$17,875 (97.1%)	$18,410
2020	$214 (1.2%)	$17,923 (98.8%)	$18,137
2021	$514 (2.5%)	$19,828 (97.5%)	$20,342
2022	$1,754 (8.5%)	$18,829 (91.5%)	$20,583
2023	$1,902 (8.0%)	$21,904 (92.0%)	$23,806

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Darnestown 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 152^nd of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 157^th of 855 Elementary schools	0.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	310	340	9.7%
African American	35	27	22.9%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	38	42	10.5%
Hispanic	17	37	117.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	203	206	1.5%
Two or More Races	17	27	58.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	5.2%	14.1%	9%

Schools Near Darnestown 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
Darnestown Elementary	Public	K-5	15030 Turkey Foot Rd	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 284-4260	340	29	11.9	14.1%	206 (60.6%)	27 (7.9%)	37 (10.9%)	42 (12.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.9%)	78.9	174^th of 859 public elementary schools	79.7%		80.7	157^th of 855 public elementary schools	81.6%	17	58.1	47.5	55.6	53.6	53.2	55.7	71.1	58.9	48.9	$23,806	$1,902	$21,904
Jones Lane Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	15110 Jones Ln	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-4260	449	29	15.3	33.9%	181 (40.3%)	39 (8.7%)	153 (34.1%)	47 (10.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.2%)	81.7	150^th of 859 public elementary schools	82.5%		81.2	154^th of 855 public elementary schools	82.0%	4	76.9	59.2	49.4	60.6	77.4	67.6	55.4	65.8	29.4	$17,266	$844	$16,422
Thurgood Marshall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	12260 McDonald Chapel Dr	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5990	591	42	14.1	48.6%	174 (29.4%)	127 (21.5%)	189 (32.0%)	76 (12.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (3.9%)	53.4	348^th of 859 public elementary schools	59.5%		64.7	273^rd of 855 public elementary schools	68.1%	75	38.6	32.0	43.5	37.6	36.1	46.1	53.7	45.3	26.7	$18,841	$901	$17,939
Rachel Carson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Tschiffely Square Rd	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-1840	698	41	17.1	27.1%	322 (46.1%)	48 (6.9%)	147 (21.1%)	128 (18.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	51 (7.3%)	94.6	41^st of 859 public elementary schools	95.2%		96	28^th of 855 public elementary schools	96.7%	13	66.1	66.1	71.1	67.9	77.6	75.9	77.2	76.9	58.1	$16,096	$897	$15,200
Travilah Elementary	Public	K-5	13801 DuFief Mill Rd	North Potomac	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-4300	377	24	15.5	16.2%	113 (30.0%)	36 (9.5%)	33 (8.8%)	167 (44.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	25 (6.6%)	94.2	44^th of 859 public elementary schools	94.9%		94.6	41^st of 855 public elementary schools	95.2%	3	81.7	66.2	64.5	71.0	85.1	74.0	73.8	77.6	46.8	$17,679	$1,221	$16,458
DuFief Elementary	Public	K-5	15001 Dufief Dr	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-1600	245	28	8.7	20.4%	67 (27.3%)	45 (18.4%)	30 (12.2%)	79 (32.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (9.8%)	77.3	189^th of 859 public elementary schools	78.0%		84.3	123^rd of 855 public elementary schools	85.6%	66	62.2	44.2	51.4	52.3	62.2	57.7	51.4	57.6	44.4	$31,048	$1,748	$29,300
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary	Public	K-5	13902 Bromfield Rd	Germantown	20874	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 601-4350	567	39	14.5	28.7%	85 (15.0%)	139 (24.5%)	75 (13.2%)	220 (38.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (8.3%)	91.6	64^th of 859 public elementary schools	92.5%		90.3	78^th of 855 public elementary schools	90.9%	14	69.4	62.0	62.0	64.2	64.3	75.3	73.2	71.2	51.0	$20,196	$1,370	$18,826
Diamond Elementary	Public	K-5	4 Marquis Dr	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-2120	676	48	14.0	15.2%	159 (23.5%)	76 (11.2%)	85 (12.6%)	314 (46.4%)	5 (0.7%)	3 (0.4%)	34 (5.0%)	95.5	33^rd of 859 public elementary schools	96.2%		93.4	53^rd of 855 public elementary schools	93.8%	20	82.6	68.8	62.7	71.8	86.1	80.2	78.0	81.5	47.3	$18,468	$972	$17,496
Great Seneca Creek Elementary	Public	K-5	13010 Dairymaid Dr	Germantown	20874	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-4380	520	40	12.9	53.3%	80 (15.4%)	177 (34.0%)	161 (31.0%)	69 (13.3%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (5.8%)	46.5	407^th of 859 public elementary schools	52.6%		46	396^th of 855 public elementary schools	53.7%	11	38.4	39.1	27.1	34.6	44.0	53.5	36.0	44.4	16.0	$20,174	$1,233	$18,941
Stone Mill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	14323 Stonebridge View Dr	North Potomac	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5450	550	38	14.5	15.3%	123 (22.4%)	71 (12.9%)	41 (7.5%)	270 (49.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (8.0%)	96.4	24^th of 859 public elementary schools	97.2%		96.8	20^th of 855 public elementary schools	97.7%	4	78.8	76.9	68.4	74.4	72.6	84.4	81.1	79.3	57.9	$18,528	$1,058	$17,470

Frequently Asked Questions about Darnestown Elementary

How many students attend Darnestown Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 340 students attended Darnestown Elementary.

Is Darnestown Elementary a good school?

Darnestown Elementary ranks 174^th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Darnestown Elementary?

Students at Darnestown Elementary are 61% White, 12% Asian, 11% Hispanic, 8% African American, 8% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Darnestown Elementary attend?

Students who attend Darnestown Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lakelands Park Middle
High : Northwest High

What district is Darnestown 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.