Potomac Middle

Summary:

Potomac Middle is a public magnet middle school located in Dumfries, Virginia, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 919. The school is part of the Prince William County Public Schools district, which is ranked 39 out of 130 school districts in Virginia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Potomac Middle faces several key challenges, including lower academic performance compared to nearby schools like Louise A. Benton Middle, Herbert J. Saunders Middle, and Woodbridge Middle. The school's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past several years, and its academic performance, as measured by SOL test scores, is generally lower than the district and state averages across various subjects and grade levels. Additionally, Potomac Middle has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 67.25% to 78.16% over the past three school years, indicating a high proportion of students from low-income families.

However, Potomac Middle's strengths include its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (36.45%) and Hispanic (36.13%) students compared to nearby schools. The school also achieved a 100% proficiency rate in Algebra I for 8th grade in 2023-2024, suggesting the potential for improvement with the right strategies and interventions. The significant differences in performance between student subgroups at Potomac Middle, such as the large gap between Asian and White students compared to African American and Hispanic students, also indicate a need for targeted support to address these achievement gaps.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

 3130 Panther Pride Drive
       Dumfries, VA  22026


(703) 221-4996

District: Prince William County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
305th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,142 Help


Students who attend Potomac Middle usually attend:

High:    Potomac High

Feeder schools for Potomac Middle:

Elementary:    Leesylvania Elementary
    Mary Williams Elementary
    River Oaks Elementary
    Swans Creek Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  14.5 Help
Number of students:  919

Racial breakdown:

African American:
36.5%
Hispanic:
36.1%
Asian:
11.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  67.2% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Potomac Middle ranks worse than 73.1% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks 12th among 16 ranked middle schools in the Prince William County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.07. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
Help
Compare Details Potomac Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Prince William County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Potomac Middle is $8,142, which is the 7th highest among 16 middle schools in the Prince William County Public Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Potomac Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Potomac Middle 305th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Potomac Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Prince William County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Prince William County Public Schools 39th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Potomac Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2007 46.57 228th 387 41.1%
2008 45.96 233rd 391 40.4%
2009 49.71 194th 390 50.3%
2010 39.70 277th 408 32.1%
2011 56.55 154th 413 62.7%
2012 51.96 186th 413 55.0%
2013 45.68 214th 416 48.6%
2014 44.20 229th 416 45.0%
2015 36.29 279th 412 32.3%
2016 19.74 365th 409 10.8%
2017 20.90 367th 415 11.6%
2018 22.92 358th 413 13.3%
2019 33.10 311th 424 26.7%
2021 23.68 335th 419 20.0%
2022 26.35 320th 415 22.9%
2023 36.47 287th 422 32.0%
2024 33.07 305th 417 26.9%
See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 62.17 84th 231 63.6%
2024 52.02 107th 237 54.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 43.29 48th 100 52.0%
2024 28.19 89th 122 27.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 35.68 278th 402 30.8%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 37.04 287th 411 30.2%
2024 29.36 314th 407 22.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 36.51 160th 278 42.4%
2024 36.15 169th 281 39.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 39.75 78th 114 31.6%
2024 28.52 105th 123 14.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 36.28 281st 409 31.3%
2024 37.48 272nd 407 33.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 18.08 115th 132 12.9%
2024 28.61 104th 128 18.8%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 57.89 123rd 298 58.7%
2024 50.53 154th 299 48.5%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 34.22 187th 275 32.0%
2024 32.52 197th 272 27.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Potomac Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 29.87 317th 402 21.1%
2024 23.05 343rd 396 13.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Virginia 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.

Potomac Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
25%

0%

50%

0%

25%

  

by a teacher
Monday, December 12, 2016

Open Quote Much better here with Mr. Smith the new principal! The discipline is getting better and the commitment to learning is back! Teachers are trying very hard to make it a better place. Close Quote


by a student
Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Open Quote Most of the teachers are great and the library is awesome but some of the kids need more discipline. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Potomac Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2007 170 487 73 187 1 n/a n/a 50 968
2008 197 479 79 240 2 n/a n/a 54 1051
2009 204 518 81 225 2 n/a n/a 61 1091
2010 207 554 90 211 3 n/a n/a 55 1120
2011 191 528 78 239 5 4 55 0 1100
2012 187 522 88 248 2 2 59 0 1108
2013 178 541 90 247 4 3 59 0 1122
2014 157 529 106 283 8 1 72 0 1156
2015 159 549 107 303 6 2 60 0 1186
2016 150 569 101 305 5 1 62 0 1193
2017 130 599 83 307 7 3 61 0 1190
2018 140 588 110 341 5 3 74 0 1261
2019 126 608 105 332 2 4 76 0 1253
2020 123 596 111 356 1 6 70 0 1263
2021 113 582 106 345 1 4 64 0 1215
2022 74 349 89 345 3 1 41 0 902
2023 95 335 103 332 1 5 48 0 919

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 Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2007 968 67.5 14.3 44.8
2008 1051 48.6 21.6 39.9
2009 1091 48.7 22.4 41.3
2010 1120 54.6 20.4 46.9
2011 1100 54.5 20.1 44.5
2012 1108 60.4 18.3 46.6
2013 1122 57.7 19.4 46.6
2014 1156 67.0 17.2 49.5
2015 1186 65.0 18.2 48.8
2016 1193 75.0 15.9 52.6
2017 1190 77.8 15.2 53.4
2018 1261 81.7 15.4 55.4
2019 1253 80.2 15.6 56.5
2020 1263 82.4 15.3 55.8
2021 1215 80.3 15.1 n/a
2022 902 71.4 12.6 78.2
2023 919 63.2 14.5 67.2

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 Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2007 968 67.5 14.3 44.8
2008 1051 48.6 21.6 39.9
2009 1091 48.7 22.4 41.3
2010 1120 54.6 20.4 46.9
2011 1100 54.5 20.1 44.5
2012 1108 60.4 18.3 46.6
2013 1122 57.7 19.4 46.6
2014 1156 67.0 17.2 49.5
2015 1186 65.0 18.2 48.8
2016 1193 75.0 15.9 52.6
2017 1190 77.8 15.2 53.4
2018 1261 81.7 15.4 55.4
2019 1253 80.2 15.6 56.5
2020 1263 82.4 15.3 55.8
2021 1215 80.3 15.1 n/a
2022 902 71.4 12.6 78.2
2023 919 63.2 14.5 67.2

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 Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $00 (0.0%) $7,490 (100.0%) $7,490
2020 $59 (0.8%) $7,351 (99.2%) $7,410
2021 $79 (1.0%) $8,062 (99.0%) $8,142

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Potomac Middle

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 311th of 424 Middle schoolsRanks 287th of 422 Middle schools
 5.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Potomac Middle)7442.4
 31.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Prince William County Public Schools)7762.1
 14.9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7857.8
 20.2%
6th Grade English Reading (Potomac Middle)6964.1
 4.9%
   6th Grade English Reading (Prince William County Public Schools)7870.7
 7.3%
   6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7770.4
 6.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Potomac Middle)5236.6
 15.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Prince William County Public Schools)6848.7
 19.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7851.4
 26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Potomac Middle)7466.2
 7.8%
   7th Grade English Reading (Prince William County Public Schools)8070.6
 9.4%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7970.3
 8.7%
8th Grade Writing (Potomac Middle)6855.6
 12.4%
   8th Grade Writing (Prince William County Public Schools)7361.1
 12%
   8th Grade Writing (Virginia)7055.5
 14.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Potomac Middle)6947.1
 21.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Prince William County Public Schools)8149.7
 31.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7748.4
 28.6%
8th Grade Science (Potomac Middle)6946.1
 22.9%
   8th Grade Science (Prince William County Public Schools)8062.9
 17.1%
   8th Grade Science (Virginia)7860.7
 17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (Potomac Middle)7065.8
 4.2%
   8th Grade English Reading (Prince William County Public Schools)7671
 5%
   8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7670.7
 5.3%
End of Course Algebra I (Potomac Middle)9993
 6%
   End of Course Algebra I (Prince William County Public Schools)8576
 9%
   End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)8680
 6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students1253919
 26.7%
African American608335
 44.9%
American Indian21
 50%
Asian105103
 1.9%
Hispanic332332
Pacific Islander45
 25%
White12695
 24.6%
Two or More Races7648
 36.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients56.5%67.2%
 10.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Potomac Middle

Students who attend Potomac Middle usually go on to attend Potomac High

In the 2022-23 school year, 919 students attended Potomac Middle.

Potomac Middle ranks 305th of 417 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Students at Potomac Middle are 36% African American, 36% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 10% White, 5% Two or more races.


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