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Cold Spring Elementary

Public, Magnet Grades K-5

1^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 864 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 100% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

Cold Spring Elementary is a K-5 public school in Potomac, MD, serving 362 students within the Montgomery County Public Schools district, and it has earned the #1 ranking out of 864 elementary schools in Maryland for the 2025-2026 school year.

This school is an academic powerhouse, consistently achieving top-tier test scores that far exceed both district and state averages. For example, in Mathematics, Cold Spring students scored 86.6% proficient, which is 11 points higher than the next best nearby school, Wayside Elementary. In English Language Arts, the school’s 92.5% proficiency rate is nearly 8 points higher than Beverly Farms Elementary. What truly sets Cold Spring apart is its remarkable consistency across all grade levels and subjects—proficiency rates for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders in both Math and ELA are tightly clustered between 84.8% and 92.7%. This suggests a highly effective, school-wide instructional system rather than performance driven by a single exceptional class. The school also shines in 5th-grade Science, with an 88.5% proficiency rate that is 48 points above the state average, hinting at a dedicated science curriculum.

Interestingly, Cold Spring achieves these results with a student-teacher ratio of 16.5, which is slightly higher than many of its high-performing peers like Ritchie Park Elementary (14.4) and Wayside Elementary (13.2). This suggests that the quality of instruction and school culture is so strong that it overcomes potential drawbacks of larger class sizes. While the Potomac area is home to many excellent schools—seven of the ten nearby schools rank in the top 100 in the state—Cold Spring has separated itself from this elite group to claim the #1 spot, pointing to a uniquely effective educational environment with a very engaged parent community and stable teaching staff.

362

Students ?

16.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,908

Per pupil spending ?

7.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

9201 Falls Chapel Way
Potomac, MD 20854-3059

(240) 740-4390

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Students who attend Cold Spring Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Cabin John Middle
High:	Thomas S. Wootton High

Racial breakdown:

White:

43.1%

Asian:

36.2%

Hispanic:

8.6%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Cold Spring Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 100th percentile in 2016 → 100th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maryland average (89% vs 39% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 1% of Maryland elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Montgomery County Public Schools

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school89%

District avg48%

Maryland avg39%

1^st of 864

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Top 1%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st 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	99.3	1 of 864	99.9%	★★★★★
2025	98.3	4 of 865	99.5%	★★★★★
2024	98.2	7 of 859	99.2%	★★★★★
2023	98.0	9 of 855	98.9%	★★★★★
2022	98.1	10 of 862	98.8%	★★★★★
2021	99.5	1 of 802	99.9%	★★★★★
2019	97.8	12 of 853	98.6%	★★★★★
2018	99.3	1 of 857	99.9%	★★★★★
2017	98.8	3 of 847	99.6%	★★★★★
2016	98.4	2 of 845	99.8%	★★★★★
2015	97.2	9 of 859	99.0%	★★★★★
2014	91.0	1 of 867	99.9%	★★★★★
2013	90.3	1 of 847	99.9%	★★★★★
2012	84.3	52 of 857	93.9%	★★★★★
2011	87.9	14 of 853	98.4%	★★★★★
2010	88.9	8 of 855	99.1%	★★★★★
2009	89.6	5 of 850	99.4%	★★★★★
2008	88.2	14 of 838	98.3%	★★★★★
2007	0.4	817 of 818	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	1.3	798 of 804	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	0.6	801 of 805	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	0.1	803 of 803	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	91.1	5 of 128	96.1%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	97.7	11 of 796	98.6%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	99.7	1 of 788	99.9%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	89.8	30 of 528	94.3%	★★★★★

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)

Male (2021)100th percentile~ school

Female (2021)99th percentile~ school

Asian (2021)96th percentile-4 vs school

White (2021)94th percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts92%+41 vs state

Science89%+56 vs state

Mathematics87%+59 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a student
Sunday, January 3, 2016

The GT program is the best in the state. (my opinion) Close Quote

Schools Near Cold Spring 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
Cold Spring Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	9201 Falls Chapel Way	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-4390	362	22	16.5	7.7%	156 (43.1%)	25 (6.9%)	31 (8.6%)	131 (36.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.2%)	99.3	1^st of 864 public elementary schools	99.9%		98.3	4^th of 865 public elementary schools	99.5%	3	90.6	84.8	86.5	86.6	92.5	92.4	92.7	92.5	88.5	$18,908	$736	$18,172
Ritchie Park Elementary	Public	K-5	1514 Dunster Rd	Rockville	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-6310	342	24	14.4	12.6%	167 (48.8%)	35 (10.2%)	41 (12.0%)	73 (21.3%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.4%)	95.1	30^th of 864 public elementary schools	96.5%		94.3	42^nd of 865 public elementary schools	95.1%	12	78.0	61.5	75.8	72.4	71.9	76.5	85.7	78.4	76.2	$19,604	$1,076	$18,528
Beverly Farms Elementary	Public	K-5	8501 Post Oak Road	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0200	526	31	16.9	8.6%	245 (46.6%)	40 (7.6%)	38 (7.2%)	156 (29.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	45 (8.6%)	96.9	19^th of 864 public elementary schools	97.8%		97.1	13^th of 865 public elementary schools	98.5%	6	86.3	63.8	78.9	75.5	87.2	86.6	80.2	84.8	65.6	$17,897	$847	$17,050
Wayside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10011 Glen Rd	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0240	465	35	13.2	9.9%	169 (36.3%)	32 (6.9%)	43 (9.2%)	187 (40.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.3%)	97.8	11^th of 864 public elementary schools	98.7%		98.4	3^rd of 865 public elementary schools	99.7%	8	86.8	81.8	73.3	81.0	86.8	80.7	84.7	83.7	74.6	$21,468	$1,075	$20,392
Fallsmead Elementary	Public	K-5	1800 Greenplace Ter	Rockville	20850	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-3545	512	32	16.0	18.9%	163 (31.8%)	55 (10.7%)	76 (14.8%)	174 (34.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (8.6%)	92.6	58^th of 864 public elementary schools	93.3%		93.3	56^th of 865 public elementary schools	93.5%	2	69.3	66.7	68.0	68.1	72.3	77.2	74.7	74.6	56.0	$17,557	$1,174	$16,383
Lakewood Elementary	Public	K-5	2534 Lindley Terrace	Rockville	20850	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5750	406	31	12.9	21.2%	79 (19.5%)	70 (17.2%)	48 (11.8%)	178 (43.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.6%)	91.4	77^th of 864 public elementary schools	91.1%		92.2	71^st of 865 public elementary schools	91.8%	6	79.7	62.3	65.2	68.8	73.4	76.1	66.2	71.9	51.5	$19,479	$963	$18,516
Bells Mill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8225 Bells Mill Rd	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0480	570	35	16.3	14.9%	237 (41.6%)	74 (13.0%)	55 (9.6%)	155 (27.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	47 (8.2%)	96.3	22^nd of 864 public elementary schools	97.5%		95.9	30^th of 865 public elementary schools	96.5%	8	79.6	70.5	68.3	73.3	88.7	78.3	78.6	82.1	64.3	$16,953	$916	$16,038
Beall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	451 Beall Ave	Rockville	20850	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-1220	475	31	15.5	27.6%	189 (39.8%)	42 (8.8%)	139 (29.3%)	60 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (9.3%)	87.8	114^th of 864 public elementary schools	86.8%		85.5	129^th of 865 public elementary schools	85.1%	15	69.8	56.9	62.1	62.7	65.1	66.7	66.2	66.0	56.7	$19,908	$965	$18,943
Farmland Elementary	Public	K-5	7000 Old Gate Road	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0660	847	54	15.7	19.5%	337 (39.8%)	79 (9.3%)	117 (13.8%)	253 (29.9%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	56 (6.6%)	88.3	103^rd of 864 public elementary schools	88.1%		86.4	119^th of 865 public elementary schools	86.2%	16	66.0	61.5	53.6	60.4	70.3	74.1	67.7	70.6	50.4	$17,149	$953	$16,195
Bayard Rustin Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	332 W Edmonston Dr	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-4320	757	55	13.7	41.6%	159 (21.0%)	91 (12.0%)	245 (32.4%)	183 (24.2%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	75 (9.9%)	74.4	229^th of 864 public elementary schools	73.5%		74.3	219^th of 865 public elementary schools	74.7%	10	56.4	49.3	49.1	51.5	59.6	52.1	55.0	55.2	47.7	$18,461	$902	$17,559

Frequently Asked Questions about Cold Spring Elementary

Is Cold Spring Elementary a good school?

Yes! Cold Spring Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 1^st of 864 Maryland elementary schools.

What district is Cold Spring Elementary in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Cold Spring Elementary?

Students at Cold Spring Elementary are 43% White, 36% Asian, 9% Hispanic, 7% African American, 5% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Cold Spring Elementary attend?

Students who attend Cold Spring Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cabin John Middle
High : Thomas S. Wootton High

How many students attend Cold Spring Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 362 students attended Cold Spring Elementary.

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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.