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John Poole Middle

Public Grades 6-8

32^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 342 Maryland Middle Schools

Better than 91% of Maryland middle schools

Summary

John Poole Middle is a high-performing public school in the semi-rural town of Poolesville, Maryland, serving 467 students in grades 6-8 as part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district. This school stands out as an elite academic powerhouse, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for four consecutive years and ranking in the 91st percentile statewide—placing it among the top 10% of all middle schools in Maryland. Compared to nearby schools like Hallie Wells Middle (4 stars, 83rd percentile) or Gaithersburg Middle (2 stars, 43rd percentile), John Poole is in a completely different tier of academic achievement.

The school's most striking differentiator is its exceptional performance in advanced math courses. In the 2025-2026 school year, 62.6% of students were proficient in Algebra I—more than double the district average of 30.5% and far exceeding the next closest school, Hallie Wells at 57.1%. Similarly, 69.4% of students were proficient in Geometry, well above the state average of 44.5%. This strong focus on advanced math suggests the school is aggressively preparing students for the rigorous curriculum at John Poole Middle's feeder high school, creating a unique academic culture. Eighth graders also excel in science (62.9% proficient vs. district 40%) and social studies (67.9% proficient vs. district 49.9%), demonstrating mastery in subjects requiring synthesis of knowledge.

While the school serves its general population exceptionally well, there are areas for growth. Chronic absenteeism at 17.1% is higher than top-performing peer Hallie Wells (11.2%), suggesting even high-achieving students may miss significant instructional time. Additionally, performance for Special Education students (53rd percentile) lags behind the school's overall 97th percentile ranking, a common challenge that warrants attention. Despite these nuances, John Poole Middle has maintained remarkable stability in its rankings, reflecting strong leadership and effective teaching practices that consistently deliver top-tier results for its students.

467

Students ?

15.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,230

Per pupil spending ?

20.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

17014 Tom Fox Ave
Poolesville, MD 20837

(240) 740-4200

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Students who attend John Poole Middle usually attend:

High:

Poolesville High

Feeder schools for John Poole Middle:

Elementary:	Monocacy Elementary
	Poolesville Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

57.6%

Hispanic:

16.5%

Asian:

11.6%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 93rd percentile in 2016 → 91st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maryland average (60% vs 37% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 9% of Maryland middle schools

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

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school60%

District avg47%

Maryland avg37%

32^nd of 342

Maryland public middle schools ?

Top 9%▼ down 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

7^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	88.9	32 of 342	90.6%	★★★★★
2025	91.5	29 of 337	91.4%	★★★★★
2024	89.9	28 of 328	91.5%	★★★★★
2023	87.4	30 of 322	90.7%	★★★★★
2022	85.6	46 of 333	86.2%	★★★★☆
2021	93.4	10 of 303	96.7%	★★★★★
2019	84.1	48 of 316	84.8%	★★★★☆
2018	88.4	43 of 328	86.9%	★★★★☆
2017	80.1	62 of 317	80.4%	★★★★☆
2016	90.9	21 of 314	93.3%	★★★★★
2015	79.8	51 of 315	83.8%	★★★★☆
2014	84.0	48 of 339	85.8%	★★★★☆
2013	82.7	46 of 316	85.4%	★★★★☆
2012	82.4	46 of 314	85.4%	★★★★☆
2011	81.7	49 of 309	84.1%	★★★★☆
2010	82.7	41 of 324	87.3%	★★★★☆
2009	81.1	43 of 301	85.7%	★★★★☆
2008	85.6	33 of 283	88.3%	★★★★☆
2007	16.9	218 of 264	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	11.8	224 of 254	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	13.6	223 of 255	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	13.6	218 of 252	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	93.5	10 of 303	96.7%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	74.1	27 of 207	87.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	90.9	12 of 288	95.8%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	46.9	56 of 120	53.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	79.6	36 of 210	82.9%	★★★★☆

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)

Female (2021)97th percentile~ school

Male (2021)96th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2021)87th percentile-10 vs school

White (2021)83rd percentile-14 vs school

Special Education (2021)53rd percentile-43 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts72%+20 vs state

Geometry69%+25 vs state

Science63%+32 vs state

Algebra I63%+41 vs state

Mathematics45%+18 vs state

★

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Schools Near John Poole Middle

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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 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
John Poole Middle	Public	6-8	17014 Tom Fox Ave	Poolesville	20837	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-4200	467	30	15.4	20.8%	269 (57.6%)	38 (8.1%)	77 (16.5%)	54 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.2%)	88.9	32^nd of 342 public middle schools	90.6%		91.5	29^th of 337 public middle schools	91.4%	3	42.4	30.7	19.0	45.2	64.6	76.9	73.7	71.9	62.6		69.4	62.9	$22,230	$960	$21,270
Kingsview Middle	Public	6-8	18909 Kingsview Rd	Germantown	20874	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-7130	908	56	16.1	35.6%	162 (17.8%)	243 (26.8%)	206 (22.7%)	243 (26.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (5.8%)	75.3	81^st of 342 public middle schools	76.3%		78.4	67^th of 337 public middle schools	80.1%	14	44.3	13.9	2.9	38.8	62.7	71.5	54.8	62.8	46.0		91.3	49.5	$19,330	$860	$18,471
Martin Luther King Junior Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	13737 Wisteria Dr	Germantown	20874	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-6350	841	64	13.2	54.1%	107 (12.7%)	302 (35.9%)	307 (36.5%)	94 (11.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	29 (3.4%)	55.4	137^th of 342 public middle schools	59.9%		45	168^th of 337 public middle schools	50.1%	31	25.8	13.3	5.9	24.8	51.8	56.5	47.6	52.0	45.5		70.8	32.3	$20,566	$980	$19,586
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
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
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
Rocky Hill Middle	Public	6-8	22401 Brick Haven Way	Clarksburg	20871	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-6670	1,010	63	15.9	45.6%	97 (9.6%)	293 (29.0%)	360 (35.6%)	195 (19.3%)	4 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	58 (5.7%)	50.2	161^st of 342 public middle schools	52.9%		55.4	138^th of 337 public middle schools	59.1%	23	22.8	10.2	5.6	19.9	44.8	63.0	45.7	51.0	43.5		41.8	26.3	$18,856	$912	$17,943
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
Hallie Wells Middle	Public	6-8	11701 Little Seneca Parkway	Clarksburg	20871	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 284-4800	931	62	14.9	18.5%	170 (18.3%)	187 (20.1%)	115 (12.4%)	408 (43.8%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (5.2%)	84.2	56^th of 342 public middle schools	83.6%		87.7	42^nd of 337 public middle schools	87.5%	14	49.2	18.5	2.8	43.8	74.4	77.8	70.2	74.0	57.1		74.4	53.8	$20,158	$1,033	$19,125

Frequently Asked Questions about John Poole Middle

Is John Poole Middle a good school?

Yes. John Poole Middle ranks in the top 9.4% of Maryland middle schools.

What high school do graduates of John Poole Middle attend?

Students who attend John Poole Middle usually go on to attend Poolesville High

How many students attend John Poole Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 467 students attended John Poole Middle.

What district is John Poole Middle in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of John Poole Middle?

Students at John Poole Middle are 58% White, 16% Hispanic, 12% Asian, 8% African American, 6% 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.