Potomac Shores Middle

Q: Is Potomac Shores Middle a good school?

Potomac Shores Middle ranks 209 th of 417 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Potomac Shores Middle is a public magnet middle school located in Dumfries, Virginia, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,152 students. 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 Shores Middle has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with a higher percentage of African American (43.06%) and Hispanic (24.83%) students. The school performs well in certain subject areas, particularly in 8th grade Algebra I (100% proficient or better) and 6th grade Mathematics (71.67% proficient or better), outperforming the district and state averages. Potomac Shores Middle ranks highly for its African American (75th out of 299 VA middle schools) and White (112th out of 396 VA middle schools) student subgroups, indicating strong performance for these groups. However, the school has a relatively high percentage of students (49.05%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which is higher than some nearby schools like Lake Ridge Middle and Herbert J. Saunders Middle.

While Potomac Shores Middle has areas of academic strength, its statewide ranking has fluctuated over the past few years, dropping from 209th out of 417 Virginia middle schools in 2023-2024 to 263rd out of 422 in 2022-2023. This suggests the school may be facing some challenges in maintaining consistent academic performance. Additionally, the school ranks lower for its Asian (96th out of 128 VA middle schools) and Military Connected (95th out of 123 VA middle schools) students, indicating potential achievement gaps that need to be addressed. The school's proximity to other high-performing middle schools in the Prince William County district may also create competitive pressures and influence its performance.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

17851 Woods View Drive
Dumfries, VA 22026

(703) 291-3590

District: Prince William County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
209^th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 1,226

Racial breakdown:

African American:

44.0%

Hispanic:

23.7%

White:

17.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Potomac Shores Middle ranks worse than 50.1% of middle schools in Virginia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.11. (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

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Potomac Shores Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Potomac Shores Middle 209^th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Potomac Shores 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 39^th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Potomac Shores Middle

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Rank History for all students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	43.10	263^rd	422	37.7%
2024	54.11	209^th	417	49.9%

See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	34.02	165^th	231	28.6%
2024	66.99	67^th	237	71.7%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.25	31^st	100	69.0%
2024	46.80	52^nd	122	57.4%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	50.32	200^th	402	50.2%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	45.40	243^rd	411	40.9%
2024	53.84	205^th	407	49.6%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	30.17	191^st	278	31.3%
2024	39.12	159^th	281	43.4%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	30.40	94^th	114	17.5%
2024	36.87	95^th	123	22.8%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	40.04	256^th	409	37.4%
2024	53.41	198^th	407	51.4%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	29.78	108^th	132	18.2%
2024	35.98	96^th	128	25.0%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	61.81	108^th	298	63.8%
2024	69.44	75^th	299	74.9%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	37.04	175^th	275	36.4%
2024	46.87	147^th	272	46.0%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Potomac Shores Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	60.54	160^th	402	60.2%
2024	67.24	112^th	396	71.7%

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.

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1.5)

25%

75%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, March 4, 2024

This school is terrible and I’m glad my child is out of there. Bullying and fighting were constant issues. Math teachers were great but the others were sub-par or lacking. Not much communication from this school to the community and the PE department was the biggest disappointment. We are a very active family and my child was excited for the new facilities. Sadly, my child told me that the teacher stands in the corner most days on her computer or on her phone. When I tried to contact her with my concerns, she started talking about what a great teacher was, how long she’s been teaching, and how my child didn’t change for PE class. In my opinion, she was very unprofessional and delusional. Unfortunately, quality neighborhoods don’t equal quality teachers. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Administration is non responsive to bullying and criminal activity here. Don't let the new building or new construction neighborhood distract from the issues that are stemming from this middle school. Parents have to find out serious issues at school through the said student or once it has already escalated to a more serious matter. Come to find that administration was aware but never update or inform parents. They say they will investigate or follow up and it is never done. Shame on them. I would send my child somewhere else before I consider anyone else I know attend this middle school unless there is serious steps taken to fix these matters. It's not safe or conducive to a learning environment where the kids thrive and are protected. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, March 8, 2022

This is a horrible school with a very bad management(principal). We are finally out of this school. There is way too much bullying in this school and the principal does NOT do anything about it but accused me and my daughter of liars after a student pushed her, she fell and hit her head and was so deep that Dr had to do 5 staples. I don’t post the pictures because they are very rough. This happened 2 weeks ago and until this day no one has called us from the school to check on mu daughter. Ive done a lot including speaking with the superintendent and nothing is getting done and our only options was to transfer school or stay here and that’s not gonna happened.
Do NOT I repeat Do not exposed your kids to this school with the poor management. Close Quote

by a student
Monday, October 25, 2021

this school is so ghetto. no one knows how to flush a toilet and theres always pee on the ground. the teachers whistle in your ears which is probably gonna make someone go deaf. the only good thing is that theres a decent amnt of lgbqt+ students so yea Close Quote

Enrollment information for Potomac Shores Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2022	196	482	71	255	1	4	68	1077
2023	203	496	72	286	4	1	90	1152
2024	211	540	99	290	2	2	82	1226

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 Shores Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	1077	65.6	16.4	n/a
2023	1152	73.0	15.7	49
2024	1226	79.4	15.4	55.3

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 Shores Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	1077	65.6	16.4	n/a
2023	1152	73.0	15.7	49
2024	1226	79.4	15.4	55.3

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.

Schools Near Potomac Shores Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SOL Geometry (2024)	SOL Algebra I (2024)		SOL Mathematics (2024)			SOL Science (2024)	SOL English Reading (2024)			SOL Civics and Economics (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Potomac Shores Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	17851 Woods View Drive	Dumfries	22026	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 291-3590	1,226	79	15.4	55.3%	211 (17.2%)	540 (44.0%)	290 (23.7%)	99 (8.1%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	82 (6.7%)	54.1	209^th of 417 public middle schools	49.9%		43.1	263^rd of 422 public middle schools	37.7%	54			100.0	71.7	50.2	56.5	64.0	73.8	72.5	69.9		68.3
Graham Park Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	3613 Graham Park Rd	Triangle	22172	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 221-2118	683	57	11.9	73.1%	71 (10.4%)	240 (35.1%)	286 (41.9%)	55 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.5%)	42.7	264^th of 417 public middle schools	36.7%		37.1	285^th of 422 public middle schools	32.5%	21			100.0	64.0	59.8	40.4	54.7	62.0	61.7	70.9		74.7	$8,481	$209	$8,272
Potomac Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	3130 Panther Pride Drive	Dumfries	22026	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 221-4996	984	72	13.6	67.7%	107 (10.9%)	354 (36.0%)	335 (34.0%)	118 (12.0%)	3 (0.3%)	4 (0.4%)	63 (6.4%)	33.1	305^th of 417 public middle schools	26.9%		36.5	287^th of 422 public middle schools	32.0%	18			100.0	45.9	34.2	38.1	51.9	53.9	65.4	71.7		79.3	$8,142	$79	$8,062
Rippon Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	15101 Blackburn Rd	Woodbridge	22191	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 491-2171	1,174	77	15.1	71.8%	91 (7.8%)	351 (29.9%)	567 (48.3%)	110 (9.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	52 (4.4%)	37.6	285^th of 417 public middle schools	31.7%		35.8	292^nd of 422 public middle schools	30.8%	7	100.0	100.0	97.2	56.2	40.8	47.0	56.8	65.9	64.2	67.1		68.5	$7,559	$145	$7,414
George M. Hampton Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	14800 Darbydale Avenue	Woodbridge	22193	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(703) 670-6166	846	73	11.5	80.4%	62 (7.3%)	143 (16.9%)	537 (63.5%)	81 (9.6%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	20 (2.4%)	31.9	311^th of 417 public middle schools	25.4%		28.8	329^th of 422 public middle schools	22.0%	18			100.0	48.2	29.1	47.0	53.3	64.3	59.6	64.4		76.9	$8,564	$392	$8,173
Woodbridge Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2201 York Dr	Woodbridge	22191	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 494-3181	896	69	12.9	66.0%	147 (16.4%)	194 (21.7%)	390 (43.5%)	119 (13.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	43 (4.8%)	44	256^th of 417 public middle schools	38.6%		52.6	206^th of 422 public middle schools	51.2%	50			100.0	56.3	37.2	51.2	62.8	62.5	69.3	68.5		73.6	$7,581	$121	$7,460
Fred M. Lynn Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1650 Prince William Parkway	Woodbridge	22191	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(703) 494-5157	968	75	12.9	86.7%	75 (7.7%)	206 (21.3%)	575 (59.4%)	77 (8.0%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	31 (3.2%)	27	330^th of 417 public middle schools	20.9%		25.3	344^th of 422 public middle schools	18.5%	14			100.0	49.7	40.4	40.4	48.2	58.6	60.3	55.0		74.0	$8,085	$540	$7,544
Shirley C. Heim Middle	Public	6-8	320 Telegraph Road	Stafford	22554	Stafford County	Stafford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 658-5910	952	65	14.6	56.9%	255 (26.8%)	187 (19.6%)	390 (41.0%)	47 (4.9%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	69 (7.2%)	29.2	322^nd of 417 public middle schools	22.8%		28.6	330^th of 422 public middle schools	21.8%	8	100.0	100.0	92.1	46.2	47.8	27.4	53.5	62.3	68.9	60.4	60.1		$7,469	$272	$7,197
Stuart M. Beville Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	4901 Dale Blvd	Woodbridge	22193	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 878-2593	1,124	88	12.7	74.8%	117 (10.4%)	204 (18.1%)	632 (56.2%)	123 (10.9%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	43 (3.8%)	30.7	315^th of 417 public middle schools	24.5%		29.6	320^th of 422 public middle schools	24.2%	5			98.3	57.0	41.8	40.4	53.9	61.8	56.2	57.8		74.1	$8,744	$119	$8,624
Lake Ridge Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	12350 Mohican Rd	Woodbridge	22192	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 494-5154	1,404	87	16.1	43.7%	429 (30.6%)	303 (21.6%)	428 (30.5%)	128 (9.1%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	113 (8.0%)	68.2	127^th of 417 public middle schools	69.5%		71.9	115^th of 422 public middle schools	72.7%	12			97.9	69.1	54.6	51.8	75.5	81.2	78.3	76.2		86.4	$7,087	$67	$7,020

Frequently Asked Questions about Potomac Shores Middle

How many students attend Potomac Shores Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,226 students attended Potomac Shores Middle.

What district is Potomac Shores Middle in?

Prince William County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Potomac Shores Middle?

Students at Potomac Shores Middle are 44% African American, 24% Hispanic, 17% White, 8% Asian, 7% Two or more races.

Is Potomac Shores Middle a good school?

Potomac Shores Middle ranks 209^th of 417 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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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.