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John F. Kennedy High

Q: Is John F. Kennedy High a good school?

John F. Kennedy High ranks 162 nd of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 9-12

162^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 29% of Maryland high schools

Summary

John F. Kennedy High in Silver Spring, MD, is a large public high school serving 1,880 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district, but it faces significant challenges that set it apart from nearby schools. The school's graduation rate of 72.9% is the lowest among its seven neighboring MCPS high schools, with the next lowest being Wheaton High at 83.2%, and it has a dropout rate of 19.6%—more than double the district average of 8.2%. Chronic absenteeism affects nearly half of students (48.9%), the highest rate in the area, while math proficiency sits at just 8.7%, far below the district average of 36.9%.

Despite these struggles, Kennedy shows a stark contrast between subjects: English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency is 42.4%, which is significantly higher than its math scores, though still below the district average of 58.5%. This pattern of low math performance is common across nearby schools like Northwood High (2.6% math proficiency) and Springbrook High (59.9% free/reduced lunch rate), but Kennedy's combination of high poverty (56% free/reduced lunch), extreme absenteeism, and a rapidly worsening dropout rate—which jumped from 4.5% to 19.6% over three years—creates a perfect storm that is unique in the area. The school's per-student spending of $20,159 is above the district average and higher than better-performing schools like Montgomery Blair High ($17,726), suggesting that funding alone isn't the issue.

Kennedy's state ranking has been stuck in the bottom 30% for the past five years, while most nearby schools rank in the 40th-80th percentile. Only James Hubert Blake High (37th percentile) is in a similar tier, but it still outperforms Kennedy in graduation and test scores. This is not a one-year blip—the graduation rate has steadily declined from 82.7% in 2021-2022, indicating a worsening crisis that demands immediate attention to student engagement and support systems.

1,880

Students ?

14.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,159

Per pupil spending ?

56%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1901 Randolph Rd
Silver Spring, MD 20902

(240) 740-0100

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Feeder schools for John F. Kennedy High:

Elementary:	Arcola Elementary
	Bel Pre Elementary
	Brookhaven Elementary
	East Silver Spring Elementary
	More...
	Flora M. Singer Elementary
	Forest Knolls Elementary
	Georgian Forest Elementary
	Glen Haven Elementary
	Glenallan Elementary
	Harmony Hills Elementary
	Highland Elementary
	Highland View Elementary
	Kemp Mill Elementary
	Montgomery Knolls Elementary
	New Hampshire Estates Elementary
	Oak View Elementary
	Oakland Terrace Elementary
	Pine Crest Elementary
	Piney Branch Elementary
	Rock View Elementary
	Rolling Terrace Elementary
	Sargent Shriver Elementary
	Sligo Creek Elementary
	Strathmore Elementary
	Takoma Park Elementary
	Viers Mill Elementary
	Weller Road Elementary
	Wheaton Woods Elementary
	Woodlin Elementary
Middle:	A. Mario Loiederman Middle
	Argyle Middle
	Eastern Middle
	Newport Mill Middle
	More...
	Odessa Shannon Middle
	Parkland Middle
	Silver Spring International Middle
	Sligo Middle
	Takoma Park Middle

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

67.9%

African American:

21.5%

Asian:

4.6%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare John F. Kennedy High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 16th percentile in 2011 → 29th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 13 percentile points since 2011

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (24% vs 38% meeting standards)

!Mathematics scores 18 pts below the Maryland average

!Near the bottom of Montgomery County Public Schools's ranking

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school24%

District avg47%

Maryland avg38%

162^nd of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Bottom 29%▼ down 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 36% (2016) to bottom 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

25^th of 26High 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	25.2	162 of 227	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	17.7	182 of 220	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.0	166 of 225	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.0	147 of 197	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	36.8	150 of 233	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	36.5	160 of 233	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	49.1	150 of 231	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	24.3	150 of 185	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	37.0	135 of 187	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	20.9	154 of 183	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	50.0	142 of 220	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	57.3	127 of 213	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	60.1	120 of 214	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	49.4	117 of 209	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2006	53.1	99 of 204	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2005	44.4	118 of 204	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2004	48.5	87 of 201	56.7%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts42%-9 vs state

Mathematics9%-18 vs state

Algebra I9%-13 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, March 21, 2010

Its a great school, the teachers are very helpful. Its a good place to challenge your child and prepare them for the real world. Close Quote

Schools Near John F. Kennedy 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)	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 All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
John F. Kennedy High	Public, Magnet	9-12	1901 Randolph Rd	Silver Spring	20902	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-0100	1,880	126	14.9	56.0%	80 (4.3%)	405 (21.5%)	1,277 (67.9%)	87 (4.6%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (1.4%)	25.2	162^nd of 227 public high schools	28.6%		17.7	182^nd of 220 public high schools	17.3%	20	8.7	42.4	42.4	8.7	$20,159	$1,338	$18,821
MCPS Transitions School	Public	12	11721 Kemp Mill Rd	Silver Spring	20902	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5900	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Thomas Edison High School of Technology	Public	9-12	12501 Dalewood Dr	Silver Spring	20906	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-2000	0	32	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Wheaton High	Public, Magnet	9-12	12401 Dalewood Dr	Silver Spring	20906	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 321-3400	2,794	172	16.2	56.6%	269 (9.6%)	537 (19.2%)	1,656 (59.3%)	257 (9.2%)	4 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	66 (2.4%)	38.3	119^th of 227 public high schools	47.6%		40.1	107^th of 220 public high schools	51.4%	12	13.1	59.5	59.5	13.1	$17,330	$1,092	$16,237
Springbrook High	Public, Magnet	9-12	201 Valley Brook Dr	Silver Spring	20904	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-3800	1,838	119	15.3	59.9%	78 (4.2%)	671 (36.5%)	845 (46.0%)	188 (10.2%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (2.7%)	38.3	118^th of 227 public high schools	48.0%		40.5	104^th of 220 public high schools	52.7%	14	12.5	55.0	55.0	12.5	$18,609	$1,111	$17,497
Albert Einstein High	Public, Magnet	9-12	11135 Newport Mill Rd	Kensington	20895	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-2700	1,991	134	14.8	42.4%	453 (22.8%)	318 (16.0%)	967 (48.6%)	135 (6.8%)	5 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	93 (4.7%)	45.2	88^th of 227 public high schools	61.2%		53.8	57^th of 220 public high schools	74.1%	31	10.1	59.7	59.7	10.1	$19,371	$1,200	$18,171
James Hubert Blake High	Public	9-12	300 Norwood Rd	Silver Spring	20905	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-1400	1,960	114	17.1	53.7%	209 (10.7%)	762 (38.9%)	690 (35.2%)	203 (10.4%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	85 (4.3%)	30.1	144^th of 227 public high schools	36.6%		43.7	92^nd of 220 public high schools	58.2%	52	4.0	47.9	47.9	4.0	$18,053	$1,011	$17,042
Montgomery Blair High	Public, Magnet	9-12	51 University Blvd E	Silver Spring	20901	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-7200	3,266	199	16.4	43.6%	706 (21.6%)	806 (24.7%)	1,240 (38.0%)	333 (10.2%)	3 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	149 (4.6%)	62	39^th of 227 public high schools	82.8%		52.6	65^th of 220 public high schools	70.5%	26	7.9	73.0	73.0	7.9	$17,726	$981	$16,745
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%)	49.3	71^st of 227 public high schools	68.7%		58.8	42^nd of 220 public high schools	80.9%	29	6.5	68.8	68.8	6.5	$21,353	$1,369	$19,983
Northwood High	Public, Magnet	9-12	11211 Old Georgetown Rd	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-6950	1,654	117	14.1	58.4%	173 (10.5%)	383 (23.2%)	983 (59.4%)	62 (3.7%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	39 (2.4%)	40.8	107^th of 227 public high schools	52.9%		34.1	126^th of 220 public high schools	42.7%	19	2.6	59.6	59.6	2.6	$20,165	$1,326	$18,839

Frequently Asked Questions about John F. Kennedy High

What is the racial makeup of John F. Kennedy High?

Students at John F. Kennedy High are 68% Hispanic, 22% African American, 5% Asian, 4% White, 1% Two or more races.

What schools feed into John F. Kennedy High?

What district is John F. Kennedy High in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

Is John F. Kennedy High a good school?

John F. Kennedy High ranks 162^nd of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend John F. Kennedy High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,880 students attended John F. Kennedy High.

Rate John F. Kennedy High!

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Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresNewJul 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.