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Thurgood Marshall Elementary

Q: Is Thurgood Marshall Elementary a good school?

Thurgood Marshall Elementary ranks 379 th of 864 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

379^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 864 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 56% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

Thurgood Marshall Elementary is a mid-sized school in Gaithersburg, MD, serving 553 students from Pre-K through 5th grade as part of the highly-regarded Montgomery County Public Schools district. While the school has a history of solid performance, recent data shows a clear downward trend in its statewide ranking, dropping from the 76th percentile in 2018-2019 to the 56th percentile in 2025-2026, resulting in a current 3-star rating. This decline is especially notable when compared to nearby schools like Rachel Carson Elementary and Diamond Elementary, which consistently rank in the 95th percentile (5 stars), making Thurgood Marshall an outlier in a neighborhood of exceptionally high-performing schools.

One of the most interesting findings is that Thurgood Marshall has a unique academic profile: its math proficiency (43%) actually exceeds the district average (36.9%), while its English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency (44%) falls dramatically below the district average (58.5%). This is the opposite of the typical pattern in MCPS, where schools often perform better in reading than math. However, a critical concern is the "5th grade cliff"—math proficiency drops from 53.9% in 3rd grade to just 28.2% in 5th grade, far below the district average of 43.1%. This pattern is also visible in ELA, suggesting a systemic issue with the 5th-grade curriculum or instruction. Additionally, chronic absenteeism has been a major and growing problem, with rates reaching 22.3% in 2024-2025, which strongly correlates with the decline in academic performance.

The school shows mixed effectiveness with different student groups, performing well with English Language Learners and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, but facing challenges with others. Spending per student ($19,278) is in the middle of the pack compared to neighbors, and the student-teacher ratio (12.7) is average, indicating that the school's challenges are not simply about funding but likely relate to instructional quality and school culture. For parents considering this school, it's important to note that while Thurgood Marshall has strengths in early-grade math and serves some groups exceptionally well, it faces urgent challenges in reversing its downward trend, closing the performance gap with its high-achieving neighbors, and addressing the significant drop-off in 5th-grade performance.

553

Students ?

12.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,278

Per pupil spending ?

43.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

12260 McDonald Chapel Dr
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

(240) 740-5990

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Students who attend Thurgood Marshall Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Ridgeview Middle
High:	Quince Orchard High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

31.3%

White:

31.1%

African American:

21.7%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Thurgood Marshall Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 76th percentile in 2016 → 56th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Maryland median (56th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 20 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school41%

District avg48%

Maryland avg39%

379^th of 864

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Top 44%▼ down 20 pts since 2016

From top 24% (2016) to top 44% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

84^th of 132Elementary Schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools

8^th of 25Montgomery County Public Schools among Maryland districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2026	53.7	379 of 864	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.0	374 of 865	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.4	348 of 859	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.7	273 of 855	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	71.2	254 of 862	70.5%	★★★★☆
2021	67.4	193 of 802	75.9%	★★★★☆
2019	76.9	203 of 853	76.2%	★★★★☆
2018	74.7	213 of 857	75.1%	★★★★☆
2017	73.5	226 of 847	73.3%	★★★★☆
2016	75.7	204 of 845	75.9%	★★★★☆
2015	82.9	148 of 859	82.8%	★★★★☆
2014	75.0	215 of 867	75.2%	★★★★☆
2013	74.9	191 of 847	77.4%	★★★★☆
2012	79.9	117 of 857	86.3%	★★★★☆
2011	75.9	164 of 853	80.8%	★★★★☆
2010	78.7	142 of 855	83.4%	★★★★☆
2009	74.3	218 of 850	74.4%	★★★★☆
2008	67.0	296 of 838	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2007	29.0	626 of 818	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	29.9	610 of 804	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	22.2	653 of 805	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	18.8	680 of 803	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	39.7	287 of 504	43.1%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	72.6	32 of 128	75.0%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	54.0	34 of 115	70.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	69.9	152 of 796	80.9%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	48.1	107 of 347	69.2%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	55.6	148 of 546	72.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	58.7	227 of 788	71.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	81.1	76 of 528	85.6%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2021)86th percentile+10 vs school

Female (2021)81st percentile+5 vs school

Asian (2021)75th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)73rd percentile-3 vs school

Male (2021)71st percentile-5 vs school

English Language Learner (2021)70th percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2021)69th percentile-7 vs school

African American (2021)43rd percentile-33 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts44%-8 vs state

Mathematics43%+16 vs state

Science27%-6 vs state

5.0

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Schools Near Thurgood Marshall Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAP Mathematics (2026)				MCAP English Language Arts (2026)				MCAP Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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
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	553	44	12.7	43.9%	172 (31.1%)	120 (21.7%)	173 (31.3%)	55 (9.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (5.4%)	53.7	379^th of 864 public elementary schools	56.1%		54	374^th of 865 public elementary schools	56.8%	5	53.9	46.9	28.2	43.0	51.3	42.5	38.2	44.0	26.6	$19,278	$973	$18,305
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	671	40	16.6	27.0%	303 (45.2%)	55 (8.2%)	151 (22.5%)	106 (15.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	54 (8.0%)	94.2	42^nd of 864 public elementary schools	95.1%		94.5	40^th of 865 public elementary schools	95.4%	2	70.4	69.3	64.0	67.9	76.6	80.5	75.7	77.6	60.7	$18,245	$1,000	$17,245
Diamond Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4 Marquis Dr	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-2120	654	44	14.9	12.4%	164 (25.1%)	60 (9.2%)	91 (13.9%)	292 (44.6%)	8 (1.2%)	3 (0.5%)	36 (5.5%)	94.4	39^th of 864 public elementary schools	95.5%		93.5	51^st of 865 public elementary schools	94.1%	12	69.4	68.8	73.9	70.9	76.2	73.7	78.6	76.4	63.9	$19,076	$1,016	$18,060
Jones Lane Elementary	Public	K-5	15110 Jones Ln	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-4260	428	36	11.9	34.3%	162 (37.9%)	43 (10.0%)	141 (32.9%)	49 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.7%)	81.5	169^th of 864 public elementary schools	80.4%		82.6	155^th of 865 public elementary schools	82.1%	14	69.2	50.4	45.8	54.0	69.2	61.1	63.9	64.0	45.8	$19,727	$894	$18,832
Brown Station Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	851 Quince Orchard Blvd	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-0260	572	58	9.8	57.5%	39 (6.8%)	75 (13.1%)	380 (66.4%)	58 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.5%)	27.1	606^th of 864 public elementary schools	29.9%		35.7	509^th of 865 public elementary schools	41.2%	97	27.9	20.0	12.1	20.7	34.5	39.2	30.3	34.8	20.9	$24,530	$2,641	$21,890
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	487	38	12.7	54.2%	82 (16.8%)	147 (30.2%)	161 (33.1%)	54 (11.1%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	39 (8.0%)	46.5	441^st of 864 public elementary schools	49.0%		47.8	422^nd of 865 public elementary schools	51.2%	19	48.8	29.1	27.2	34.9	47.6	44.2	40.7	44.2	22.9	$22,110	$1,326	$20,784
DuFief Elementary	Public	K-5	15001 Dufief Dr	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-1600	276	26	10.7	20.7%	85 (30.8%)	46 (16.7%)	40 (14.5%)	77 (27.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (10.1%)	82.2	160^th of 864 public elementary schools	81.5%		78.5	196^th of 865 public elementary schools	77.3%	36	69.6	62.5	51.1	61.0	61.7	62.5	54.3	59.6	48.9	$31,430	$1,589	$29,841
Darnestown Elementary	Public	K-5	15030 Turkey Foot Rd	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 284-4260	356	32	11.0	17.7%	183 (51.4%)	34 (9.6%)	52 (14.6%)	53 (14.9%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	31 (8.7%)	83.7	144^th of 864 public elementary schools	83.3%		78.3	198^th of 865 public elementary schools	77.1%	54	66.7	53.7	46.6	55.4	68.5	68.5	57.9	64.8	51.7	$25,575	$1,385	$24,190
Clopper Mill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	18501 Cinnamon Dr	Germantown	20874	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-2180	458	39	11.8	60.9%	32 (7.0%)	140 (30.6%)	233 (50.9%)	37 (8.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.1%)	39.6	479^th of 864 public elementary schools	44.6%		23.2	638^th of 865 public elementary schools	26.2%	159	49.0	19.0	18.9	27.3	56.9	37.5	36.5	42.5	21.9	$24,605	$2,912	$21,693
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary	Public	K-5	13902 Bromfield Rd	Germantown	20874	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-7820	530	39	13.4	28.7%	86 (16.2%)	117 (22.1%)	82 (15.5%)	197 (37.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (8.9%)	91.6	74^th of 864 public elementary schools	91.4%		90.7	84^th of 865 public elementary schools	90.3%	10	72.1	57.1	64.2	64.3	78.3	75.3	65.4	73.1	61.0	$22,112	$961	$21,151

Frequently Asked Questions about Thurgood Marshall Elementary

Is Thurgood Marshall Elementary a good school?

Thurgood Marshall Elementary ranks 379^th of 864 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Thurgood Marshall Elementary in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

How many students attend Thurgood Marshall Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 553 students attended Thurgood Marshall Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Thurgood Marshall Elementary attend?

Students who attend Thurgood Marshall Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ridgeview Middle
High : Quince Orchard High

What is the racial makeup of Thurgood Marshall Elementary?

Students at Thurgood Marshall Elementary are 31% Hispanic, 31% White, 22% African American, 10% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

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Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresJul 28, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCAP test scoresAug 26, 2025

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.