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

Walter Johnson High

Public Grades 9-12

17^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 93% of Maryland high schools

Summary

Walter Johnson High in Bethesda, MD, is a large, high-performing public high school serving 3,016 students in grades 9-12, part of the Montgomery County Public Schools district, and consistently ranks among the top 10% of high schools in Maryland.

Walter Johnson stands out for its exceptional English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency, with 85.1% of students proficient, far exceeding the district average of 58.5% and the state average of 51.7%. This is the highest ELA rate among nearby schools, surpassing even Winston Churchill High (91.5%) and Walt Whitman High (83.7%) in recent data. However, the school faces a significant challenge in mathematics, where only 7.7% of students are proficient in Algebra I, a rate far below the district average (36.9%) and comparable to schools with higher poverty rates like Wheaton High (13.1%) and Albert Einstein High (10.1%). This creates a stark performance gap between ELA and math that parents should investigate further.

Despite this math challenge, Walter Johnson maintains a high graduation rate of 93.5% and a low dropout rate of 4.5%, both better than the district averages. The school also achieves these results with the lowest per-student spending ($16,379) among its peers, compared to Rockville High ($21,353) and Northwood High ($20,165). Chronic absenteeism spiked to 37.3% in 2023-2024 but has since recovered to 22.4%, now in line with the district average. The school is also notably effective for diverse student groups, ranking in the top quartile for African American and Multi-racial students statewide.

3,016

Students ?

18.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,379

Per pupil spending ?

19.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

6400 Rock Spring Dr
Bethesda, MD 20814-1991

(240) 740-6900

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Feeder schools for Walter Johnson High:

Elementary:	Ashburton Elementary
	Farmland Elementary
	Garrett Park Elementary
	Kensington Parkwood Elementary
	More...
	Luxmanor Elementary
	Wyngate Elementary
Middle:	North Bethesda Middle
	Tilden Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.5%

Hispanic:

19.1%

African American:

15.8%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Walter Johnson High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 88th percentile in 2016 → 93rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maryland average (56% vs 38% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 7% of Maryland high schools

✓94% graduate within 4 years

Worth a look

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

!Mathematics scores 19 pts below the Maryland average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school56%

District avg47%

Maryland avg38%

17^th of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Top 7%▲ up 5 pts since 2016

From top 12% (2016) to top 7% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^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	73.7	17 of 227	92.5%	★★★★★
2025	76.3	15 of 220	93.2%	★★★★★
2024	69.5	15 of 146	89.7%	★★★★★
2023	67.5	18 of 127	85.8%	★★★★☆
2022	75.7	13 of 225	94.2%	★★★★★
2021	83.5	6 of 32	81.3%	★★★★☆
2019	74.4	23 of 138	83.3%	★★★★☆
2018	76.7	19 of 197	90.4%	★★★★★
2017	79.4	16 of 180	91.1%	★★★★★
2016	73.5	29 of 233	87.6%	★★★★☆
2015	84.3	6 of 233	97.4%	★★★★★
2014	80.0	37 of 231	84.0%	★★★★☆
2013	78.5	34 of 185	81.6%	★★★★☆
2012	77.6	37 of 187	80.2%	★★★★☆
2011	76.6	37 of 183	79.8%	★★★★☆
2010	81.8	26 of 220	88.2%	★★★★☆
2009	78.5	35 of 213	83.6%	★★★★☆
2008	79.9	30 of 214	86.0%	★★★★☆
2007	73.5	36 of 209	82.8%	★★★★☆
2006	72.3	39 of 204	80.9%	★★★★☆
2005	75.3	14 of 204	93.1%	★★★★★
2004	56.3	40 of 201	80.1%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	90.2	3 of 14	78.6%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	71.4	7 of 25	72.0%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	49.7	2 of 3	33.3%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	83.0	6 of 31	80.6%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	60.2	4 of 9	55.6%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	84.1	6 of 35	82.9%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	82.5	3 of 11	72.7%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	84.2	9 of 40	77.5%	★★★★☆

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)83rd percentile~ school

Female (2021)81st percentile~ school

African American (2021)79th percentile-3 vs school

White (2021)78th percentile-4 vs school

Multi-racial (2021)73rd percentile-9 vs school

Asian (2021)72nd percentile-9 vs school

Hispanic (2021)56th percentile-26 vs school

English Language Learner (2021)33rd percentile-48 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts85%+33 vs state

Mathematics8%-19 vs state

Algebra I8%-14 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Walter Johnson High and help other families decide.

Rate Walter Johnson High

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

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Walter Johnson High

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)	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
Walter Johnson High	Public	9-12	6400 Rock Spring Dr	Bethesda	20814	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-6900	3,016	167	18.0	19.8%	1,342 (44.5%)	477 (15.8%)	577 (19.1%)	389 (12.9%)	9 (0.3%)	3 (0.1%)	204 (6.8%)	73.7	17^th of 227 public high schools	92.5%		76.3	15^th of 220 public high schools	93.2%	2	7.7	85.1	85.1	7.7	$16,379	$937	$15,442
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
Rock Terrace School	Public	6-12	11400 Marcliff Rd	Rockville	20852	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-4650	77	21	3.5	49.4%	18 (23.4%)	25 (32.5%)	22 (28.6%)	10 (13.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.6%)								(n/a)					$84,418	$5,196	$79,222
Winston Churchill High	Public	9-12	11300 Gainsborough Rd	Potomac	20854	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5400	2,185	120	18.2	10.9%	869 (39.8%)	244 (11.2%)	191 (8.7%)	717 (32.8%)	3 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	149 (6.8%)	84.9	7^th of 227 public high schools	96.9%		84.8	5^th of 220 public high schools	97.7%	2	10.3	91.5	91.5	10.3	$18,087	$1,191	$16,896
Walt Whitman High	Public	9-12	7100 Whittier Blvd	Bethesda	20817	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-4800	2,056	115	17.8	7.0%	1,164 (56.6%)	122 (5.9%)	257 (12.5%)	330 (16.1%)	1 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	175 (8.5%)	79.8	13^th of 227 public high schools	94.3%		82.4	8^th of 220 public high schools	96.4%	5	23.8	83.7	83.7	23.8	$17,926	$943	$16,983
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High	Public	9-12	4301 East-West Hwy	Bethesda	20814	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-0400	2,377	142	16.7	23.9%	1,109 (46.7%)	436 (18.3%)	507 (21.3%)	164 (6.9%)	8 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	141 (5.9%)	68.8	24^th of 227 public high schools	89.4%		71.1	22^nd of 220 public high schools	90.0%	2	11.7	76.4	76.4	11.7	$16,584	$848	$15,736
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
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
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
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)

Frequently Asked Questions about Walter Johnson High

What is the racial makeup of Walter Johnson High?

Students at Walter Johnson High are 44% White, 19% Hispanic, 16% African American, 13% Asian, 7% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Walter Johnson High?

Walter Johnson High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Ashburton Elementary
Elementary : Farmland Elementary
Elementary : Garrett Park Elementary
Elementary : Kensington Parkwood Elementary
Elementary : Luxmanor Elementary
Elementary : Wyngate Elementary
Middle : North Bethesda Middle
Middle : Tilden Middle

Is Walter Johnson High a good school?

Yes. Walter Johnson High ranks in the top 7.5% of Maryland high schools.

What district is Walter Johnson High in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

How many students attend Walter Johnson High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 3,016 students attended Walter Johnson High.

Rate Walter Johnson High!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MDMaryland High School Rankings

MDMaryland District Rankings

Schools in Bethesda, MD

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Walter Johnson High!

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.