Is Walter Johnson High a good school?

Walter Johnson High ranks 15 th of 146 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 5 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Walter Johnson High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,942 students attended Walter Johnson High.

What is the racial makeup of Walter Johnson High?

Students at Walter Johnson High are 50% White, 18% Hispanic, 13% African American, 12% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Walter Johnson High?

Walter Johnson High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Ashburton Elementary Elementary : Farmland Elementary Elementary : Garrett Park Elementary Elementary : Kensington Parkwood Elementary Elementary : Luxmanor Elementary Elementary : Wyngate Elementary Middle : North Bethesda Middle Middle : Tilden Middle

Walter Johnson High

Summary:

Walter Johnson High is a public high school located in Bethesda, Maryland, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,942 students. 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 from SchoolDigger.

Walter Johnson High consistently ranks among the top high schools in Maryland, with a statewide ranking between 6th and 23rd over the past 10 years. The school's performance on MCAP (Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program) tests is exceptional, with 75.4% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, significantly higher than the Montgomery County (55.3%) and Maryland (48.4%) averages. However, the school's performance in Mathematics is relatively weaker, with only 11.9% of students proficient or better, compared to the district (33.4%) and state (24.1%) averages. The school has a relatively diverse student population, with a higher percentage of White (49.59%) and Asian (12.2%) students, and a lower percentage of African American (12.85%) and Hispanic (18.25%) students compared to nearby schools.

Walter Johnson High spends $14,036 per student, which is higher than the state average but lower than some of the nearby schools, such as Rockville High ($18,914) and John F. Kennedy High ($17,648). The school's efficient resource allocation and commitment to providing quality education have contributed to its consistent academic excellence, making it a standout in the Montgomery County Public Schools district.

Detail:

Public 9-12

6400 Rock Spring Dr
Bethesda, MD 20814-1991

(240) 740-6900

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
15^th of 146 Maryland High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,547

Feeder schools for Walter Johnson High:

Elementary:	Ashburton Elementary
	Farmland Elementary
	Garrett Park Elementary
	Kensington Parkwood Elementary
	More...
	Luxmanor Elementary
	Wyngate Elementary
Middle:	North Bethesda Middle
	Tilden Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 18.5

Number of students: 2,942

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.6%

Hispanic:

18.3%

African American:

12.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 18.4%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Walter Johnson High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Walter Johnson High ranks better than 89.7% of high schools in Maryland. It also ranks 6^th among 13 ranked high schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.48. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Walter Johnson High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 Walter Johnson High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (49.6%), Hispanic (18.3%), African American (12.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 18.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Walter Johnson High is 18.5, which is the highest among 27 high schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Walter Johnson High employs 158.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Walter Johnson High is $15,547. 25 high schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Walter Johnson High was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Walter Johnson High 15^th of 146 Maryland public high schools. (See Walter Johnson High in the ranking list.)

Montgomery County Public Schools:

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

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Rank History for Walter Johnson High

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Rank History for all students at Walter Johnson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	56.35	40^th	201	80.1%
2005	75.34	14^th	204	93.1%
2006	72.29	39^th	204	80.9%
2007	73.49	36^th	209	82.8%
2008	79.91	30^th	214	86.0%
2009	78.55	35^th	213	83.6%
2010	81.81	26^th	220	88.2%
2011	76.64	37^th	183	79.8%
2012	77.60	37^th	187	80.2%
2013	78.54	34^th	185	81.6%
2014	79.96	37^th	231	84.0%
2015	84.28	6^th	233	97.4%
2016	73.50	29^th	233	87.6%
2017	79.39	16^th	180	91.1%
2018	76.68	19^th	197	90.4%
2019	74.37	23^rd	138	83.3%
2021	83.48	6^th	32	81.3%
2022	75.68	13^th	225	94.2%
2023	67.54	18^th	127	85.8%
2024	69.48	15^th	146	89.7%

See the entire list of Maryland High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Walter Johnson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	82.47	3^rd	11	72.7%

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

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Walter Johnson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	49.68	2^nd	3	33.3%

See the entire list of Best Maryland High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Female students at Walter Johnson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	82.97	6^th	31	80.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Walter Johnson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	84.09	6^th	35	82.9%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Walter Johnson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	71.35	7^th	25	72.0%

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

Rank History for African American students at Walter Johnson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	90.21	3^rd	14	78.6%

See the entire list of Best Maryland High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Walter Johnson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	60.17	4^th	9	55.6%

See the entire list of Best Maryland High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Walter Johnson High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	84.24	9^th	40	77.5%

See the entire list of Best Maryland High 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

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Enrollment information for Walter Johnson High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	1117	110	176	125	5	n/a	n/a	0	1533
1990	1010	107	159	116	5	n/a	n/a	-7	1390
1991	873	113	166	135	4	n/a	n/a	0	1291
1992	834	106	155	125	4	n/a	n/a	0	1224
1993	840	108	149	128	3	n/a	n/a	0	1228
1994	887	97	137	141	2	n/a	n/a	0	1264
1995	981	98	153	178	4	n/a	n/a	0	1414
1996	981	98	153	178	4	n/a	n/a	0	1414
1997	1038	104	164	160	7	n/a	n/a	0	1473
1998	1044	118	186	168	9	n/a	n/a	0	1525
1999	1114	124	208	162	5	n/a	n/a	0	1613
2000	1125	132	209	172	2	n/a	n/a	0	1640
2001	1113	137	219	182	3	n/a	n/a	0	1654
2002	1245	129	246	208	3	n/a	n/a	0	1831
2003	1245	129	246	208	3	n/a	n/a	0	1831
2004	1255	144	249	227	3	n/a	n/a	0	1878
2005	1290	182	253	246	2	n/a	n/a	0	1973
2006	1298	210	252	220	3	n/a	n/a	0	1983
2007	1230	202	269	255	3	n/a	n/a	0	1959
2008	1236	178	282	259	5	n/a	n/a	0	1960
2009	1247	190	290	266	10	n/a	n/a	0	2003
2010	1238	202	310	299	11	n/a	n/a	0	2060
2011	1179	163	297	402	4	1	104	0	2150
2012	1223	191	299	404	4	2	114	0	2237
2013	1262	173	305	387	4	3	110	0	2244
2014	1257	185	296	379	4	2	114	0	2237
2015	1270	213	277	369	4	2	127	0	2262
2016	1279	222	253	393	8	1	133	0	2289
2017	1278	224	272	424	7	2	138	0	2345
2018	1344	244	301	439	8	0	139	0	2475
2019	1388	266	316	457	6	0	154	0	2587
2020	1431	291	380	471	9	0	165	0	2747
2021	1454	322	386	476	8	6	163	5	2820
2022	1442	355	369	508	4	5	180	7	2870
2023	1459	378	359	537	7	5	186	11	2942

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 Walter Johnson High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1533	85.5	17.9	n/a
1990	1390	79.8	17.4	1.9
1991	1291	71.0	18.1	2.1
1992	1224	63.7	19.2	3.8
1993	1228	71.7	17.1	3.7
1994	1264	69.6	18.2	5.1
1995	1414	85.9	16.5	4.4
1996	1414	85.9	16.5	4.4
1997	1473	89.2	16.5	5
1998	1525	90.1	16.9	5.2
1999	1613	90.2	17.9	8.2
2000	1640	99.1	16.5	5.7
2001	1654	104.5	15.8	3.9
2002	1831	101.1	18.1	4.1
2003	1831	101.1	18.1	4.1
2004	1878	107.6	17.5	4.8
2005	1973	117.0	16.9	4.7
2006	1983	116.0	17.1	5.6
2007	1959	117.9	16.6	5.5
2008	1960	121.7	16.1	6.4
2009	2003	122.3	16.4	5.8
2010	2060	121.3	16.9	8
2011	2150	126.7	16.9	7.1
2012	2237	124.1	18.0	7.7
2013	2244	131.4	17.0	7.8
2014	2237	130.2	17.1	7.8
2015	2262	131.0	17.2	6.9
2016	2289	125.0	18.3	7.1
2017	2345	131.4	17.8	7.1
2018	2475	134.6	18.3	7.7
2019	2587	140.4	18.4	7.5
2020	2747	146.2	18.7	7.8
2021	2820	149.7	18.8	10.5
2022	2870	153.9	18.6	12.7
2023	2942	158.3	18.5	18.4

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 Walter Johnson High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1533	85.5	17.9	n/a
1990	1390	79.8	17.4	1.9
1991	1291	71.0	18.1	2.1
1992	1224	63.7	19.2	3.8
1993	1228	71.7	17.1	3.7
1994	1264	69.6	18.2	5.1
1995	1414	85.9	16.5	4.4
1996	1414	85.9	16.5	4.4
1997	1473	89.2	16.5	5
1998	1525	90.1	16.9	5.2
1999	1613	90.2	17.9	8.2
2000	1640	99.1	16.5	5.7
2001	1654	104.5	15.8	3.9
2002	1831	101.1	18.1	4.1
2003	1831	101.1	18.1	4.1
2004	1878	107.6	17.5	4.8
2005	1973	117.0	16.9	4.7
2006	1983	116.0	17.1	5.6
2007	1959	117.9	16.6	5.5
2008	1960	121.7	16.1	6.4
2009	2003	122.3	16.4	5.8
2010	2060	121.3	16.9	8
2011	2150	126.7	16.9	7.1
2012	2237	124.1	18.0	7.7
2013	2244	131.4	17.0	7.8
2014	2237	130.2	17.1	7.8
2015	2262	131.0	17.2	6.9
2016	2289	125.0	18.3	7.1
2017	2345	131.4	17.8	7.1
2018	2475	134.6	18.3	7.7
2019	2587	140.4	18.4	7.5
2020	2747	146.2	18.7	7.8
2021	2820	149.7	18.8	10.5
2022	2870	153.9	18.6	12.7
2023	2942	158.3	18.5	18.4

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 Walter Johnson High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$420 (3.1%)	$12,988 (96.9%)	$13,409
2020	$296 (2.2%)	$12,973 (97.8%)	$13,269
2021	$705 (5.0%)	$13,331 (95.0%)	$14,036
2022	$1,167 (8.5%)	$12,524 (91.5%)	$13,691
2023	$857 (5.5%)	$14,689 (94.5%)	$15,547

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Walter Johnson High

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 23^rd of 138 High schools	Ranks 18^th of 127 High schools	2.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	2587	2942	13.7%
African American	266	378	42.1%
American Indian	6	7	16.7%
Asian	316	359	13.6%
Hispanic	457	537	17.5%
Pacific Islander	0	5
White	1388	1459	5.1%
Two or More Races	154	186	20.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	7.5%	18.4%	10.9%

Schools Near Walter Johnson High

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 Algebra I (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 All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Walter Johnson High	Public	9-12	6400 Rock Spring Dr	Bethesda	20814	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-6900	2,942	158	18.5	18.4%	1,459 (49.6%)	378 (12.8%)	537 (18.3%)	359 (12.2%)	7 (0.2%)	5 (0.2%)	186 (6.3%)	69.5	15^th of 146 public high schools	89.7%		67.5	18^th of 127 public high schools	85.8%	3	11.9	75.4	75.4	11.9	$15,547	$857	$14,689
Rock Terrace School	Public	6-12	11400 Marcliff Rd	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-4650	73	21	3.4	54.8%	20 (27.4%)	25 (34.2%)	17 (23.3%)	9 (12.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.7%)								(n/a)					$94,122	$31,130	$62,992
Winston Churchill High	Public	9-12	11300 Gainsborough Rd	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5400	2,234	121	18.4	10.4%	958 (42.9%)	224 (10.0%)	200 (9.0%)	709 (31.7%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	132 (5.9%)	85.6	1^st of 146 public high schools	99.3%		68.2	17^th of 127 public high schools	86.6%	16	19.0	83.1	83.1	19.0	$16,771	$1,192	$15,579
Walt Whitman High	Public	9-12	7100 Whittier Blvd	Bethesda	20817	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-4800	2,018	117	17.2	5.5%	1,214 (60.2%)	83 (4.1%)	242 (12.0%)	306 (15.2%)	2 (0.1%)	5 (0.2%)	161 (8.0%)	81	7^th of 146 public high schools	95.2%		82.5	3^rd of 127 public high schools	97.6%	4	27.5	86.0	86.0	27.5	$16,890	$838	$16,052
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High	Public	9-12	4301 East-West Hwy	Bethesda	20814	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0400	2,335	130	17.9	25.5%	1,127 (48.3%)	398 (17.0%)	493 (21.1%)	159 (6.8%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	142 (6.1%)	62.2	26^th of 146 public high schools	82.2%		57.8	34^th of 127 public high schools	73.2%	8	7.3	67.7	67.7	7.3	$15,482	$814	$14,668
Albert Einstein High	Public, Magnet	9-12	11135 Newport Mill Rd	Kensington	20895	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-2700	2,012	131	15.3	53.7%	446 (22.2%)	304 (15.1%)	1,011 (50.2%)	133 (6.6%)	9 (0.4%)	1 (0.0%)	97 (4.8%)								(n/a)		54.3	54.3		$17,177	$1,080	$16,097
Richard Montgomery High	Public, Magnet	9-12	250 Richard Montgomery Dr	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-6100	2,390	134	17.7	33.3%	667 (27.9%)	351 (14.7%)	649 (27.2%)	566 (23.7%)	9 (0.4%)	1 (0.0%)	138 (5.8%)	55.8	41^st of 146 public high schools	71.9%		57.8	35^th of 127 public high schools	72.4%	6	6.4	67.1	67.1	6.4	$16,178	$1,040	$15,138
Wheaton High	Public, Magnet	9-12	12401 Dalewood Dr	Silver Spring	20906	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 321-3400	2,599	158	16.5	65.3%	253 (9.7%)	497 (19.1%)	1,502 (57.8%)	290 (11.2%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	52 (2.0%)	40.6	84^th of 146 public high schools	42.5%					(n/a)	6.3	51.4	51.4	6.3	$16,637	$1,267	$15,370
Rockville High	Public, Magnet	9-12	2100 Baltimore Rd	Rockville	20851	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-6600	1,516	97	15.6	49.6%	363 (23.9%)	226 (14.9%)	670 (44.2%)	175 (11.5%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	75 (4.9%)								(n/a)		66.8	66.8		$19,724	$1,404	$18,321
Thomas S. Wootton High	Public	9-12	2100 Wootton Pkwy	Rockville	20850	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-1500	1,911	105	18.2	12.8%	711 (37.2%)	224 (11.7%)	157 (8.2%)	732 (38.3%)	4 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (4.2%)	85.5	2^nd of 146 public high schools	98.6%		80.7	5^th of 127 public high schools	96.1%	3	9.6	85.1	85.1	9.6	$16,616	$1,054	$15,562

Walter Johnson High

Montgomery County Public Schools:

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Rank History for Walter Johnson High

Rank History for all students at Walter Johnson High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Walter Johnson High

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Walter Johnson High

Rank History for Female students at Walter Johnson High

Rank History for Male students at Walter Johnson High

Rank History for Asian students at Walter Johnson High

Rank History for African American students at Walter Johnson High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Walter Johnson High

Rank History for White students at Walter Johnson High

Enrollment information for Walter Johnson High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Walter Johnson High

Student/Teacher Ratio Walter Johnson High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Walter Johnson High

Impact of COVID-19 on Walter Johnson High

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Walter Johnson High