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Gaithersburg High

Q: Is Gaithersburg High a good school?

Gaithersburg High ranks 149 th of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 9-12

149^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 34% of Maryland high schools

Summary

Gaithersburg High is a large, diverse public high school in Gaithersburg, MD, serving 2,441 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district.

Gaithersburg High faces significant challenges that set it apart from nearby schools. The most pressing issue is a chronic absenteeism crisis, with 51% of students missing so much school that their education is severely impacted—more than double the district average and far higher than top-performing neighbors like Winston Churchill High (14.3%) and Thomas S. Wootton High (20.3%). This likely drives the school's low graduation rate of 78.6% (over 10 points below the district average) and its high dropout rate of 16.4% (double the district average). Academically, math proficiency is a major struggle at just 10.8%, though English Language Arts proficiency is a relative bright spot at 45.1%, close to the state average. The school also has a high level of economic disadvantage, with 55.7% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Despite spending $20,333 per student—more than higher-performing schools like Winston Churchill ($18,087) and Wootton ($17,926)—Gaithersburg High has not translated that investment into strong outcomes. The school ranks in the 35th percentile of Maryland high schools, a position that has been consistently low over the past decade. There are some signs of incremental improvement, such as math proficiency rising from 6.2% to 10.8% in recent years, but the school remains in a precarious position. The stark contrast with nearby schools like Winston Churchill (97th percentile) and Wootton (95th percentile) highlights how deeply school performance is influenced by community factors, even within the same well-funded district.

2,441

Students ?

13.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,333

Per pupil spending ?

55.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

101 Education Blvd
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-2392

(301) 284-4500

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Feeder schools for Gaithersburg High:

Elementary:	Gaithersburg Elementary
	Goshen Elementary
	Laytonsville Elementary
	Rosemont Elementary
	More...
	Strawberry Knoll Elementary
	Summit Hall Elementary
	Washington Grove Elementary
Middle:	Forest Oak Middle
	Gaithersburg Middle

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

62.6%

African American:

19.9%

White:

8.4%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Gaithersburg High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 43rd percentile in 2010 → 34th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (25% vs 38% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 9 percentile points since 2010

!Mathematics scores 16 pts below the Maryland average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school25%

District avg47%

Maryland avg38%

149^th of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Bottom 34%▼ down 13 pts since 2016

From bottom 48% (2016) to bottom 34% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

23^rd of 26High 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	28.5	149 of 227	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.3	153 of 220	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.1	123 of 225	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	47.9	122 of 233	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	49.0	120 of 233	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2014	67.7	105 of 231	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	53.1	104 of 185	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	58.4	98 of 187	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2011	47.6	113 of 183	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2010	58.9	125 of 220	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2009	56.5	129 of 213	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	60.7	116 of 214	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	49.8	114 of 209	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	55.1	93 of 204	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2005	62.8	53 of 204	74.0%	★★★★☆
2004	41.9	119 of 201	40.8%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts45%-7 vs state

Mathematics11%-16 vs state

Algebra I11%-10 vs state

★

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Schools Near Gaithersburg High

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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 Algebra I (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 All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gaithersburg High	Public, Magnet	9-12	101 Education Blvd	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 284-4500	2,441	175	13.9	55.7%	206 (8.4%)	485 (19.9%)	1,527 (62.6%)	145 (5.9%)	3 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	70 (2.9%)	28.5	149^th of 227 public high schools	34.4%		24.3	153^rd of 220 public high schools	30.5%	4	10.8	45.1	45.1	10.8		$20,333	$1,272	$19,061
Watkins Mill High	Public, Magnet	9-12	10301 Apple Ridge Rd	Gaithersburg	20879	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 284-4400	1,577	114	13.8	51.7%	86 (5.5%)	355 (22.5%)	955 (60.6%)	130 (8.2%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	43 (2.7%)	25.3	160^th of 227 public high schools	29.5%		25.3	150^th of 220 public high schools	31.8%	10	5.4	44.9	44.9	5.4		$21,020	$1,518	$19,502
Quince Orchard High	Public	9-12	15800 Quince Orchard Rd	Gaithersburg	20878	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-3600	2,100	131	16.0	38.0%	656 (31.2%)	312 (14.9%)	769 (36.6%)	224 (10.7%)	4 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	124 (5.9%)	61.1	42^nd of 227 public high schools	81.5%		48.3	77^th of 220 public high schools	65.0%	35	11.2	74.2	74.2	11.2		$18,368	$914	$17,454
Col. Zadok Magruder High	Public, Magnet	9-12	5939 Muncaster Mill Rd	Rockville	20855	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-5550	1,671	109	15.3	48.2%	343 (20.5%)	321 (19.2%)	734 (43.9%)	195 (11.7%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (4.2%)	46.1	87^th of 227 public high schools	61.7%		43.5	94^th of 220 public high schools	57.3%	7	1.9	63.0	63.0	1.9		$20,372	$1,605	$18,767
Thomas S. Wootton High	Public	9-12	2100 Wootton Pkwy	Rockville	20850	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-1500	1,870	101	18.5	13.4%	635 (34.0%)	238 (12.7%)	174 (9.3%)	700 (37.4%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	113 (6.0%)	80.3	12^th of 227 public high schools	94.7%		83.1	7^th of 220 public high schools	96.8%	5	8.6	87.0	87.0	8.6		$17,926	$1,166	$16,760
Seneca Valley High	Public, Magnet	9-12	19401 Crystal Rock Dr	Germantown	20874	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-6400	2,409	159	15.1	49.2%	274 (11.4%)	892 (37.0%)	861 (35.7%)	269 (11.2%)	3 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	105 (4.4%)	44.7	91^st of 227 public high schools	59.9%		40.5	105^th of 220 public high schools	52.3%	14	3.8	56.5	56.5	3.8		$19,473	$1,318	$18,155
Northwest High	Public, Magnet	9-12	13501 Richter Farm Rd	Germantown	20874	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-7100	2,300	138	16.7	36.1%	482 (21.0%)	602 (26.2%)	600 (26.1%)	471 (20.5%)	3 (0.1%)	3 (0.1%)	130 (5.7%)	64.1	31^st of 227 public high schools	86.3%		63.3	31^st of 220 public high schools	85.9%		17.9	73.0	73.0	17.9		$17,959	$1,282	$16,677
Richard Montgomery High	Public, Magnet	9-12	250 Richard Montgomery Dr	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-6100	2,366	134	17.6	29.3%	653 (27.6%)	367 (15.5%)	627 (26.5%)	555 (23.5%)	7 (0.3%)	1 (0.0%)	143 (6.0%)	63.5	34^th of 227 public high schools	85.0%		63	32^nd of 220 public high schools	85.5%	2	4.3	73.5	73.5	4.3		$17,472	$1,056	$16,417
Alternative Programs	Public	6-12	14501 Avery Road	Rockville	20853	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5000	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	8.7	223^rd of 227 public high schools	1.8%					(n/a)	0.0	21.7	21.7	0.0
Rockville High	Public, Magnet	9-12	2100 Baltimore Rd	Rockville	20851	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-6600	1,550	105	14.7	46.7%	336 (21.7%)	229 (14.8%)	723 (46.6%)	173 (11.2%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	80 (5.2%)	49.2	72^nd of 227 public high schools	68.3%		58.8	42^nd of 220 public high schools	80.9%	30	6.5	68.8	68.8	6.5		$21,353	$1,369	$19,983

Frequently Asked Questions about Gaithersburg High

Is Gaithersburg High a good school?

Gaithersburg High ranks 149^th of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Gaithersburg High?

Students at Gaithersburg High are 63% Hispanic, 20% African American, 8% White, 6% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

How many students attend Gaithersburg High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,441 students attended Gaithersburg High.

What schools feed into Gaithersburg High?

Gaithersburg High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Gaithersburg Elementary
Elementary : Goshen Elementary
Elementary : Laytonsville Elementary
Elementary : Rosemont Elementary
Elementary : Strawberry Knoll Elementary
Elementary : Summit Hall Elementary
Elementary : Washington Grove Elementary
Middle : Forest Oak Middle
Middle : Gaithersburg Middle

What district is Gaithersburg High in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

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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.