Potomac Elementary

Summary:

Potomac Elementary is a highly-rated public magnet elementary school in Potomac, Maryland that serves 443 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district, which is ranked 7th out of 25 districts in Maryland and has a 4-star rating.

Potomac Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Maryland, with 76.8% of its students proficient or better in mathematics and 83% proficient or better in English language arts - significantly outperforming the district and state averages. The school has a diverse student population, with 39.05% White, 7.9% African American, 9.26% Hispanic, 33.18% Asian, and 10.61% two or more races. This racial diversity is higher than nearby schools, which tend to have a larger proportion of White students. Additionally, Potomac Elementary has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 3.23% to 7.45% over the past three years, compared to 9.26% to 19.07% at nearby schools.

Potomac Elementary's strong academic performance, diverse student body, and efficient resource allocation make it a model for other schools in the district and state. The school's per-student spending is higher than nearby schools, ranging from $14,708 to $15,773 over the past three years, which may contribute to its ability to provide a well-rounded educational experience. Compared to nearby schools like Ritchie Park Elementary, Farmland Elementary, and Burning Tree Elementary, Potomac Elementary stands out as a highly successful and sought-after public elementary school.

Detail:

Public, Magnet K-5

10311 River Rd
Potomac, MD 20854

(240) 740-4360

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
23^rd of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,134

Students who attend Potomac Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Herbert Hoover Middle
High:	Winston Churchill High

Student/teacher ratio: 16.2

Number of students: 443

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.1%

Asian:

33.2%

Two or more races:

10.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 7.4%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Potomac Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Potomac Elementary ranks better than 97.3% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 9^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 96.56. (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 (39.1%), Asian (33.2%), two or more races (10.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 7.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Potomac Elementary is 16.2. 122 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Potomac Elementary employs 27.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Potomac Elementary is $16,134. 122 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Potomac 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 Potomac Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Potomac Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	9.44	733^rd	803	8.7%
2005	6.05	760^th	805	5.6%
2006	11.51	728^th	804	9.5%
2007	7.06	764^th	818	6.6%
2008	83.81	74^th	838	91.2%
2009	84.54	64^th	850	92.5%
2010	80.21	129^th	855	84.9%
2011	82.35	83^rd	853	90.3%
2012	82.75	66^th	857	92.3%
2013	84.38	55^th	847	93.5%
2014	84.15	87^th	867	90.0%
2015	95.18	29^th	859	96.6%
2016	95.10	26^th	845	96.9%
2017	97.10	15^th	847	98.2%
2018	97.08	14^th	857	98.4%
2019	97.98	9^th	853	98.9%
2021	97.43	21^st	802	97.4%
2022	96.22	25^th	862	97.1%
2023	96.41	24^th	855	97.2%
2024	96.56	23^rd	859	97.3%

See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Potomac Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	86.11	6^th	52	88.5%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Female students at Potomac Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	97.33	12^th	796	98.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Potomac Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	92.38	52^nd	788	93.4%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Potomac Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	79.24	21^st	128	83.6%

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

Rank History for White students at Potomac Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	88.15	37^th	528	93.0%

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: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, August 18, 2018

Poor Chinese Immersion program Close Quote

Enrollment information for Potomac Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	270	32	58	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	377
1990	246	25	58	13	0	n/a	n/a	5	347
1991	275	11	57	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	354
1992	306	9	60	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	389
1993	324	12	70	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	417
1994	352	31	70	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	470
1995	393	25	87	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	527
1996	393	25	87	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	527
1997	378	21	85	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	503
1998	388	15	78	20	3	n/a	n/a	0	504
1999	457	17	92	21	2	n/a	n/a	0	589
2000	491	24	92	25	2	n/a	n/a	0	634
2001	491	33	102	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	648
2002	492	26	101	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	640
2003	492	26	101	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	640
2004	440	22	108	19	5	n/a	n/a	0	594
2005	408	29	115	21	4	n/a	n/a	0	577
2006	357	29	122	17	2	n/a	n/a	0	527
2007	344	35	138	14	3	n/a	n/a	0	534
2008	344	34	141	19	3	n/a	n/a	0	541
2009	361	34	145	14	3	n/a	n/a	0	557
2010	358	32	158	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	569
2011	324	26	153	23	0	2	22	0	550
2012	301	16	158	16	0	2	25	0	518
2013	289	16	152	17	0	2	20	0	496
2014	274	14	167	19	0	3	22	0	499
2015	256	20	155	17	0	3	23	0	474
2016	240	20	164	24	0	0	26	0	474
2017	215	17	149	23	0	0	29	0	433
2018	195	25	169	27	0	0	28	0	444
2019	144	24	135	31	0	0	28	0	362
2020	157	34	120	32	1	0	32	0	376
2021	153	41	113	38	1	0	47	0	393
2022	162	34	119	39	0	0	48	0	402
2023	173	35	147	41	0	0	47	0	443

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 Potomac Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	377	20.0	18.8	n/a
1990	347	17.1	20.2	4.9
1991	354	17.1	20.7	1.7
1992	389	18.5	21.0	2.1
1993	417	20.1	20.7	1.9
1994	470	20.9	22.5	1.7
1995	527	23.7	22.2	1.5
1996	527	23.7	22.2	1.5
1997	503	23.9	21.0	1.2
1998	504	24.3	20.7	1.6
1999	589	24.3	24.2	3.4
2000	634	30.5	20.8	3.5
2001	648	32.3	20.1	1.5
2002	640	33.3	19.2	2.2
2003	640	33.3	19.2	2.2
2004	594	33.0	18.0	2.2
2005	577	32.0	18.0	2.9
2006	527	30.0	17.6	2.7
2007	534	32.4	16.5	2.1
2008	541	32.7	16.5	2.6
2009	557	33.0	16.9	2.2
2010	569	30.9	18.4	3.7
2011	550	28.9	19.0	2.9
2012	518	29.9	17.3	2.3
2013	496	29.5	16.8	2.4
2014	499	29.1	17.1	2.8
2015	474	28.0	16.9	1.5
2016	474	26.0	18.2	2.3
2017	433	24.8	17.4	2.1
2018	444	24.0	18.4	2
2019	362	23.4	15.4	2.2
2020	376	21.9	17.1	3.5
2021	393	22.8	17.2	5.1
2022	402	22.5	17.8	3.2
2023	443	27.3	16.2	7.4

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 Potomac Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	377	20.0	18.8	n/a
1990	347	17.1	20.2	4.9
1991	354	17.1	20.7	1.7
1992	389	18.5	21.0	2.1
1993	417	20.1	20.7	1.9
1994	470	20.9	22.5	1.7
1995	527	23.7	22.2	1.5
1996	527	23.7	22.2	1.5
1997	503	23.9	21.0	1.2
1998	504	24.3	20.7	1.6
1999	589	24.3	24.2	3.4
2000	634	30.5	20.8	3.5
2001	648	32.3	20.1	1.5
2002	640	33.3	19.2	2.2
2003	640	33.3	19.2	2.2
2004	594	33.0	18.0	2.2
2005	577	32.0	18.0	2.9
2006	527	30.0	17.6	2.7
2007	534	32.4	16.5	2.1
2008	541	32.7	16.5	2.6
2009	557	33.0	16.9	2.2
2010	569	30.9	18.4	3.7
2011	550	28.9	19.0	2.9
2012	518	29.9	17.3	2.3
2013	496	29.5	16.8	2.4
2014	499	29.1	17.1	2.8
2015	474	28.0	16.9	1.5
2016	474	26.0	18.2	2.3
2017	433	24.8	17.4	2.1
2018	444	24.0	18.4	2
2019	362	23.4	15.4	2.2
2020	376	21.9	17.1	3.5
2021	393	22.8	17.2	5.1
2022	402	22.5	17.8	3.2
2023	443	27.3	16.2	7.4

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 Potomac Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$382 (2.4%)	$15,391 (97.6%)	$15,773
2020	$147 (1.0%)	$14,561 (99.0%)	$14,708
2021	$573 (3.8%)	$14,696 (96.2%)	$15,269
2022	$1,030 (7.2%)	$13,364 (92.8%)	$14,394
2023	$702 (4.4%)	$15,432 (95.6%)	$16,134

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Potomac 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 9^th of 853 Elementary schools	Ranks 24^th of 855 Elementary schools	1.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	362	443	22.4%
African American	24	35	45.8%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	135	147	8.9%
Hispanic	31	41	32.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	144	173	20.1%
Two or More Races	28	47	67.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	2.2%	7.4%	5.2%

Schools Near Potomac 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
Potomac Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	10311 River Rd	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-4360	443	27	16.2	7.4%	173 (39.1%)	35 (7.9%)	41 (9.3%)	147 (33.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (10.6%)	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
Wayside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10011 Glen Rd	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0240	442	29	15.0	9.0%	167 (37.8%)	33 (7.5%)	37 (8.4%)	180 (40.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.7%)	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
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	611	37	16.5	16.4%	248 (40.6%)	89 (14.6%)	59 (9.7%)	166 (27.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (8.0%)	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	386	25	15.2	7.8%	188 (48.7%)	43 (11.1%)	39 (10.1%)	100 (25.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.9%)	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	583	34	16.9	9.3%	262 (44.9%)	43 (7.4%)	47 (8.1%)	176 (30.2%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	51 (8.7%)	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
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	351	22	15.6	4.8%	153 (43.6%)	13 (3.7%)	23 (6.6%)	137 (39.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.1%)	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
Carderock Springs Elementary	Public	K-5	7401 Persimmon Tree Lane	Bethesda	20817	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0540	337	23	14.9	5.0%	179 (53.1%)	21 (6.2%)	45 (13.4%)	55 (16.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	36 (10.7%)	97.4	14^th of 859 public elementary schools	98.4%		98.5	4^th of 855 public elementary schools	99.5%	10	80.0	82.7	68.6	77.3	83.3	92.3	88.0	87.7	51.0	$19,145	$792	$18,353
Ritchie Park Elementary	Public	K-5	1514 Dunster Rd	Rockville	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-6310	378	25	15.4	14.3%	177 (46.8%)	46 (12.2%)	54 (14.3%)	70 (18.5%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (6.9%)	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
Farmland Elementary	Public	K-5	7000 Old Gate Road	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0660	797	53	15.1	19.1%	334 (41.9%)	69 (8.7%)	100 (12.5%)	247 (31.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (5.4%)	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
Fallsmead Elementary	Public	K-5	1800 Greenplace Ter	Rockville	20850	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-3545	543	34	15.9	17.7%	172 (31.7%)	77 (14.2%)	65 (12.0%)	187 (34.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	39 (7.2%)	91.3	67^th of 859 public elementary schools	92.2%		95.2	36^th of 855 public elementary schools	95.8%	31	70.0	75.0	70.5	71.7	69.8	77.4	63.0	69.9	43.2	$15,590	$1,036	$14,554

Frequently Asked Questions about Potomac Elementary

Is Potomac Elementary a good school?

Yes! Potomac Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 23^rd of 859 Maryland elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Potomac Elementary?

Students at Potomac Elementary are 39% White, 33% Asian, 11% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic, 8% African American.

How many students attend Potomac Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 443 students attended Potomac Elementary.

What district is Potomac Elementary in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

What schools do graduates of Potomac Elementary attend?

Students who attend Potomac Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Herbert Hoover Middle
High : Winston Churchill High

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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.