Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Forest Oak Middle

Public Grades 6-8

268^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 342 Maryland Middle Schools

Better than 22% of Maryland middle schools

Summary

Forest Oak Middle in Gaithersburg, MD, serves 828 students in grades 6-8 and is part of the highly-rated Montgomery County Public Schools district, though the school itself faces significant challenges. The school serves a predominantly low-income community, with 58.33% of students eligible for free and reduced lunch, and has consistently ranked in the bottom 22-31% of Maryland middle schools over the past decade.

Academically, Forest Oak Middle struggles dramatically compared to nearby schools. In the 2025-2026 school year, only 7.5% of students were proficient in Mathematics and 30.5% in English Language Arts (ELA)—far below district averages of 36.9% and 58.5%, respectively. For context, the highest-performing nearby school, Robert Frost Middle, achieved 56.7% proficiency in Math and 77% in ELA. The gap between subjects is also notable: ELA proficiency is roughly four times higher than Math, a wider disparity than at most peers like Ridgeview Middle, where the gap is about 2.4 times. Chronic absenteeism is another concern, with 24.7% of students missing significant school, compared to just 9.6% at Robert Frost and 13.7% at Kingsview Middle.

Despite high per-pupil spending of $22,826—more than Robert Frost ($18,583) and Kingsview ($19,330)—outcomes remain low, suggesting the funding goes toward support services for a high-needs population rather than directly boosting test scores. Forest Oak is not alone; it is part of a cluster of struggling schools in the Gaithersburg/Montgomery Village area, including Montgomery Village Middle and Gaithersburg Middle, which face similar poverty rates and absenteeism. One bright spot: the school ranked in the 59th percentile for African American students in 2020-2021, indicating relatively stronger support for this demographic compared to other state schools.

828

Students ?

12.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,826

Per pupil spending ?

58.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

651 Saybrooke Oaks Blvd
Gaithersburg, MD 20877

(240) 740-7570

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Students who attend Forest Oak Middle usually attend:

High:

Gaithersburg High

Feeder schools for Forest Oak Middle:

Elementary:	Goshen Elementary
	Rosemont Elementary
	Summit Hall Elementary
	Washington Grove Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

62.0%

African American:

23.7%

White:

7.0%

See top rated Maryland middle schools

Compare Forest Oak Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 31st percentile in 2016 → 22nd in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (18% vs 37% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (22nd percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 9 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school18%

District avg47%

Maryland avg37%

268^th of 342

Maryland public middle schools ?

Bottom 22%▼ down 10 pts since 2016

From bottom 31% (2016) to bottom 22% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

38^th of 40Middle Schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools

8^th of 24Montgomery 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	22.6	268 of 342	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	27.3	233 of 337	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	17.7	267 of 328	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.9	252 of 322	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	29.5	230 of 333	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.6	210 of 303	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	22.8	235 of 316	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.8	231 of 328	29.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	31.9	213 of 317	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2016	31.7	216 of 314	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	30.7	214 of 315	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2014	60.0	151 of 339	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	43.7	193 of 316	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	54.6	168 of 314	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	57.6	145 of 309	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2010	55.1	170 of 324	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	55.3	165 of 301	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	56.3	147 of 283	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2007	38.1	163 of 264	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2006	37.4	160 of 254	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2005	50.3	130 of 255	49.0%	★★★☆☆
2004	40.2	160 of 252	36.5%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	54.8	106 of 259	59.1%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	17.5	107 of 116	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	33.5	198 of 303	34.7%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	28.3	159 of 207	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	25.6	236 of 273	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	26.9	214 of 288	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	41.3	123 of 210	41.4%	★★☆☆☆

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)

African American (2021)59th percentile+28 vs school

White (2021)41st percentile+11 vs school

Female (2021)35th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2021)26th percentile-5 vs school

Hispanic (2021)23rd percentile-8 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)14th percentile-17 vs school

Asian (2021)8th percentile-23 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts30%-21 vs state

Geometry17%-27 vs state

Algebra I16%-5 vs state

Science16%-15 vs state

Mathematics8%-20 vs state

1.5

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★1

1★1

Rate Forest Oak Middle

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, December 9, 2018

It is a horrible school. A lot of the kids smoke. Close Quote

by a student
Friday, May 27, 2016

I currently go to Forest Oak. I will give you my review as a girl in 7th grade. First, I believe it is of utmost importance that I describe the general student body. The school is made up of predominantly wild and rowdy students. The teachers have little to no control over them, and often don't do anything about said students. Let me make it clear that I do not feel safe at FOMS. I wish I could believe that I have nothing to fear, that the teachers can stop rowdy behavior, but I cannot. I feel as though I alone am obligated to keep me safe, because no one else will. I once believed in the school, so I went to the office and reported a boy who rode my bus because he was making everyone around him miserable and I had had enough of seeing these people suffer. I waited days for some kind of follow up, some kind of intervention between the boy and the bus. I received no response or follow-up on the issue, and the boy still currently messes with everyone around him. The school claims to prioritize the safety of the students, but I have seen no evidence of that at all. I've had my share of shoves, pushes, insults, and directed profanity both in the halls and in classrooms. In both situations, there is usually and adult close by that does nothing to help. Students must learn to adapt to the harsh environment and fend for themselves. I'd say this is the issue I have the most with FOMS: the students.

Next, we have the staff. The staff is mediocre. Sure, they give you a pep talk every now and then, maybe give you a piece of candy. These things don't go unappreciated. However, they do nothing to help you if they see you being bullied unless you're literally on the brink of getting in a physical fight. And yes, fights have become as normal to see at FOMS as we see the trash collectors emptying our trash bins. It's become normal to see. The teachers teach us, tell us to behave, but they don't do much to protect you. I can't remember the last time a teacher stood up for a victim of harassment.

Overall, I will say that I dislike Forest Oak Middle School. It's a dangerous environment. The students, generally speaking, are loud, destructive, rude, and inconsiderate. Chances are, when you go to FOMS, you will get picked on. You will probably strongly dislike the wild environment. I do not recommend attending Forest Oak if you seek a docile and professional school. Close Quote

Schools Near Forest Oak Middle

Load more schools when map is moved

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 Algebra I (2026)	MCAP Algebra II (2026)	MCAP Geometry (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 (2025)	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 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Algebra II End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Forest Oak Middle	Public	6-8	651 Saybrooke Oaks Blvd	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-7570	828	66	12.5	58.3%	58 (7.0%)	196 (23.7%)	513 (62.0%)	43 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	17 (2.1%)	22.6	268^th of 342 public middle schools	21.6%		27.3	233^rd of 337 public middle schools	30.9%	35	9.1	4.5	3.1	7.5	23.7	39.8	27.2	30.5	15.9		17.2	15.9	$22,826	$1,738	$21,088
Gaithersburg Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2 Teachers' Way	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-4950	869	75	11.6	63.2%	70 (8.1%)	186 (21.4%)	504 (58.0%)	60 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	48 (5.5%)	39.1	196^th of 342 public middle schools	42.7%		26.9	236^th of 337 public middle schools	30.0%	40	16.7	7.1	5.6	14.3	43.2	47.0	43.1	44.4	35.9		40.9	22.1	$21,527	$1,212	$20,315
Shady Grove Middle	Public	6-8	8100 Midcounty Hwy	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-1440	514	40	12.9	52.3%	96 (18.7%)	92 (17.9%)	227 (44.2%)	62 (12.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (6.4%)	44.2	177^th of 342 public middle schools	48.2%		49.6	156^th of 337 public middle schools	53.7%	21	18.7	17.5	6.1	18.9	35.4	44.6	46.3	42.0	21.3		57.1	28.7	$23,575	$1,122	$22,452
Montgomery Village Middle	Public	6-8	19300 Watkins Mill Rd	Montgomery Village	20886	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-6720	780	63	12.4	59.2%	27 (3.5%)	171 (21.9%)	514 (65.9%)	43 (5.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	23 (2.9%)	19.8	288^th of 342 public middle schools	15.8%		18.1	296^th of 337 public middle schools	12.2%	8	7.7	5.5	0.4	5.5	22.9	32.5	30.4	28.8	18.9			13.1	$22,732	$2,201	$20,531
Redland Middle	Public	6-8	6505 Muncaster Mill Rd	Rockville	20855	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0900	562	42	13.4	52.1%	112 (19.9%)	128 (22.8%)	230 (40.9%)	57 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.2%)	51.6	155^th of 342 public middle schools	54.7%		52.6	146^th of 337 public middle schools	56.7%	9	31.1	7.1	4.7	25.3	45.9	50.0	50.3	48.6	43.3		46.5	28.0	$24,198	$1,088	$23,110
Roberto W. Clemente Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	18808 Waring Station Rd	Germantown	20874	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 284-4750	888	63	14.1	55.0%	96 (10.8%)	278 (31.3%)	320 (36.0%)	144 (16.2%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (5.1%)	46.6	171^st of 342 public middle schools	50.0%		49.5	157^th of 337 public middle schools	53.4%	14	21.5	8.2	0.0	19.4	46.0	51.4	48.4	48.6	32.3		48.8	29.0	$20,385	$1,053	$19,333
Lakelands Park Middle	Public	6-8	1200 Main St	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-6450	993	66	15.1	34.0%	330 (33.2%)	133 (13.4%)	283 (28.5%)	187 (18.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (5.8%)	75.4	78^th of 342 public middle schools	77.2%		74.2	78^th of 337 public middle schools	76.9%		39.2	21.4	1.6	35.1	58.7	72.1	62.2	64.4	51.8		58.4	43.6	$20,680	$1,084	$19,596
Ridgeview Middle	Public	6-8	16600 Raven Rock Dr	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-3330	722	51	14.1	41.7%	213 (29.5%)	135 (18.7%)	238 (33.0%)	93 (12.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (5.8%)	47.3	168^th of 342 public middle schools	50.9%		57.2	129^th of 337 public middle schools	61.7%	39	25.8	6.7	1.0	19.5	42.3	52.2	44.0	46.2	31.3		32.4	31.7	$21,226	$875	$20,351
Neelsville Middle	Public	6-8	11700 Neelsville Church Rd	Germantown	20876	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-6630	781	54	14.4	55.1%	54 (6.9%)	230 (29.4%)	342 (43.8%)	124 (15.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	28 (3.6%)	39	197^th of 342 public middle schools	42.4%		38	190^th of 337 public middle schools	43.6%	7	19.4	5.4	0.0	12.8	44.5	51.8	42.1	46.2	19.0		36.1	17.6	$20,009	$942	$19,066
Robert Frost Middle School	Public	6-8	9201 Scott Dr	Rockville	20850	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-7610	915	57	16.1	16.4%	243 (26.6%)	120 (13.1%)	94 (10.3%)	379 (41.4%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	74 (8.1%)	91.1	25^th of 342 public middle schools	92.7%		94	15^th of 337 public middle schools	95.5%	10	50.4	36.7	1.7	56.7	66.2	83.1	81.4	77.0	72.9	97.7	73.6	65.8	$18,583	$821	$17,762

Frequently Asked Questions about Forest Oak Middle

How many students attend Forest Oak Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 828 students attended Forest Oak Middle.

What district is Forest Oak Middle in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Forest Oak Middle?

Students at Forest Oak Middle are 62% Hispanic, 24% African American, 7% White, 5% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Forest Oak Middle attend?

Students who attend Forest Oak Middle usually go on to attend Gaithersburg High

Is Forest Oak Middle a good school?

Forest Oak Middle ranks in the bottom 21.6% of Maryland middle schools.

Rate Forest Oak Middle!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MDMaryland Middle School Rankings

MDMaryland District Rankings

Schools in Gaithersburg, MD

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Forest Oak Middle!

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.