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Watkins Mill Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

705^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 864 Maryland Elementary Schools

Better than 18% of Maryland elementary schools

Summary

Watkins Mill Elementary is a large elementary school in Montgomery Village, MD, serving 734 students from Pre-K through 5th grade as part of the highly-rated Montgomery County Public Schools district. Despite the district's strong overall reputation, Watkins Mill has consistently ranked in the bottom 15-20% of Maryland elementary schools over the past decade, earning a 1-star rating for five consecutive years. The school serves a high-needs population, with over 60% of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch, and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.2:1.

The most significant concern for parents is the school's persistently low academic performance, which lags far behind nearby schools. For the 2025-2026 school year, only 15.5% of students were proficient in Math and 26.6% in English Language Arts—roughly half the proficiency rates of the nearest comparable school, Whetstone Elementary (26% Math, 35.5% ELA), and far below high-performing neighbors like Fox Chapel Elementary (49.4% Math, 58.1% ELA). Additionally, Watkins Mill has a severe chronic absenteeism problem, with 34.3% of students chronically absent in 2024-2025—the highest rate among all nearby schools and significantly above the district average of 22.6%. This is particularly striking given that the school spends $22,893 per student, more than Fox Chapel's $19,834, suggesting that financial resources alone are not overcoming the barriers to learning.

Interestingly, the school shows notable strengths with certain student groups, ranking in the top 27% statewide for Low Socio-Economic Status students and top 31% for African American students. However, it struggles critically with Special Education students (bottom 7% statewide) and Hispanic students (bottom 23%). A severe "4th grade slump" is also evident, with Math proficiency dropping from 24% in 3rd grade to just 7.8% in 4th grade, and ELA dropping from 33.7% to 17.5%. While Watkins Mill is part of a cluster of lower-performing schools including South Lake Elementary, Gaithersburg Elementary, and Stedwick Elementary, its combination of extremely low test scores, highest absenteeism, and highest spending makes it an outlier facing deep-seated challenges.

734

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,893

Per pupil spending ?

60.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

19001 Watkins Mill Rd
Montgomery Village, MD 20886

(240) 740-5280

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Students who attend Watkins Mill Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Montgomery Village Middle
High:	Watkins Mill High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

74.9%

African American:

13.6%

Asian:

6.1%

See top rated Maryland elementary schools

Compare Watkins Mill Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 23rd percentile in 2016 → 18th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (20% vs 39% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (18th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 5 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school20%

District avg48%

Maryland avg39%

705^th of 864

Maryland public elementary schools ?

Bottom 18%▼ down 5 pts since 2016

From bottom 23% (2016) to bottom 18% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

125^th 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	18.5	705 of 864	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	15.8	744 of 865	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.2	763 of 859	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.8	735 of 855	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.3	735 of 862	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.6	581 of 802	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.3	586 of 853	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	21.7	653 of 857	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	20.2	666 of 847	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	22.5	647 of 845	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	20.2	692 of 859	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	21.0	734 of 867	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	12.1	787 of 847	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	14.8	771 of 857	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	15.0	762 of 853	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	14.6	800 of 855	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	21.4	749 of 850	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	23.3	716 of 838	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	63.1	337 of 818	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2006	60.6	349 of 804	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2005	38.6	550 of 805	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2004	30.7	609 of 803	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	52.2	158 of 504	68.7%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	40.4	56 of 115	51.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	26.6	535 of 796	32.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	27.8	267 of 347	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	55.8	145 of 546	73.4%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	20.7	605 of 788	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	22.7	127 of 136	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)73rd percentile+46 vs school

African American (2021)69th percentile+41 vs school

English Language Learner (2021)51st percentile+24 vs school

Female (2021)33rd percentile+5 vs school

Male (2021)23rd percentile-4 vs school

Hispanic (2021)23rd percentile-5 vs school

Special Education (2021)7th percentile-21 vs school

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts27%-25 vs state

Mathematics16%-12 vs state

Science13%-19 vs state

2.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★0

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3★1

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Watkins Mill offers wonderful opportunities for students and their families. There are great activities that go on there- they have International Night, a Talent Show and monthly parent meetings. All of the students in the school receive free breakfast and lunch so there is a great deal of poverty. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, August 21, 2012

This school is exceeds my lowest expectations. Teachers have trouble managing behavior of kindergarten and first grade kids. There is a socioecOnomic agenda that attempts to achieve equality in part by denying special Educational Services to students with any socioeconomic advantages. The individual Child is lost in this. The principal structures the school rules according to her will even when they directly contradict mcps rules. For example parents were not permitted in classrooms even though mcps mandates parent entry at will.
That may have changed after complaints but the willful self coronation of the principal as the monarch of the school that underlies it is still there. The principal has an explosive temper and occasionally walks around the school barefoot. Principal discourages parental involvement. There are gangs in fifth grade in this school. Many kids who attend Watkins mill need disciplinary structure and an environment that fosters excellence but this school Fails to achieve this as effectively as other mcps elementary schools with similar socioeconomic profiles. The ranking of this school in the bottom 10% of all Maryland public elementary schools is justified and tragic given mcps resources. The principal and senior administration need to be replaced to bring to this school a culture of academic excellence and bring out the potential of the young children who attend this school. Close Quote

Schools Near Watkins Mill 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
Watkins Mill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	19001 Watkins Mill Rd	Montgomery Village	20886	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-5280	734	65	11.2	60.1%	20 (2.7%)	100 (13.6%)	550 (74.9%)	45 (6.1%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.2%)	18.5	705^th of 864 public elementary schools	18.4%		15.8	744^th of 865 public elementary schools	14.0%	39	24.0	7.8	15.6	15.5	33.7	17.5	29.6	26.6	13.3	$22,893	$2,871	$20,022
Stedwick Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10631 Stedwick Rd	Montgomery Village	20886	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-7190	492	42	11.7	59.6%	30 (6.1%)	153 (31.1%)	254 (51.6%)	32 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (4.1%)	25.9	619^th of 864 public elementary schools	28.4%		26.1	597^th of 865 public elementary schools	31.0%	22	26.9	25.8	15.4	22.3	28.8	37.9	28.2	31.4	16.5	$23,627	$2,445	$21,182
Whetstone Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	19201 Thomas Farm Rd	Gaithersburg	20879	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-1060	711	58	12.3	56.3%	42 (5.9%)	183 (25.7%)	406 (57.1%)	56 (7.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.1%)	30.7	572^nd of 864 public elementary schools	33.8%		28.5	568^th of 865 public elementary schools	34.3%	4	40.5	19.0	18.2	26.0	47.9	28.1	30.0	35.5	12.7	$21,437	$2,848	$18,589
South Lake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	18201 Contour Road	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-7330	746	62	12.0	66.1%	10 (1.3%)	129 (17.3%)	557 (74.7%)	32 (4.3%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	15 (2.0%)	14.7	757^th of 864 public elementary schools	12.4%		15.3	750^th of 865 public elementary schools	13.3%	7	15.9	15.7	12.1	14.7	16.1	22.6	28.4	22.0	8.1	$21,305	$2,781	$18,524
Strawberry Knoll Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	18820 Strawberry Knoll Rd	Gaithersburg	20879	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5140	448	42	10.7	57.8%	54 (12.1%)	105 (23.4%)	219 (48.9%)	47 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.9%)	52.6	389^th of 864 public elementary schools	55.0%		48.5	417^th of 865 public elementary schools	51.8%	28	49.1	27.4	25.5	33.9	57.9	45.2	47.3	50.0	30.4	$26,558	$1,577	$24,981
Fox Chapel Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	19315 Archdale Rd	Germantown	20876	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(240) 740-0680	617	46	13.5	61.1%	69 (11.2%)	150 (24.3%)	288 (46.7%)	85 (13.8%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.6%)	76.3	215^th of 864 public elementary schools	75.1%		68	272^nd of 865 public elementary schools	68.6%	57	45.1	50.7	50.4	49.4	48.6	58.3	63.7	58.1	52.6	$19,834	$966	$18,868
Gaithersburg Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	35 N Summit Ave	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-4900	603	63	9.6	67.5%	10 (1.7%)	95 (15.8%)	456 (75.6%)	18 (3.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.6%)	12.9	786^th of 864 public elementary schools	9.0%		13.2	791^st of 865 public elementary schools	8.6%	5	19.5	8.9	11.5	13.1	15.9	17.6	22.9	19.0	9.3	$25,304	$2,866	$22,438
Captain James E. Daly Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	20301 Brandermill Dr	Germantown	20876	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(240) 740-0600	472	42	11.2	57.6%	26 (5.5%)	132 (28.0%)	272 (57.6%)	25 (5.3%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.0%)	25.9	618^th of 864 public elementary schools	28.5%		28.1	573^rd of 865 public elementary schools	33.8%	45	37.5	17.2	16.9	23.6	35.9	29.7	26.8	30.7	15.5	$23,824	$3,901	$19,922
Harriet R. Tubman Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Victory Farm Dr	Gaithersburg	20877	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(240) 740-6770	571	51	11.2	61.6%	25 (4.4%)	109 (19.1%)	391 (68.5%)	24 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (3.7%)	29.3	583^rd of 864 public elementary schools	32.5%		23.8	632^nd of 865 public elementary schools	26.9%	49	30.2	23.5	16.9	23.9	38.8	36.7	30.3	35.5	18.0	$21,951	$2,144	$19,806
Flower Hill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	18425 Flower Hill Way	Gaithersburg	20879	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 740-5820	454	40	11.4	54.8%	34 (7.5%)	93 (20.5%)	264 (58.1%)	46 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.7%)	35.6	521^st of 864 public elementary schools	39.7%		22.2	660^th of 865 public elementary schools	23.7%	139	32.9	26.3	16.9	25.7	48.7	45.3	33.8	43.0	9.9	$23,378	$2,361	$21,017

Frequently Asked Questions about Watkins Mill Elementary

Is Watkins Mill Elementary a good school?

Watkins Mill Elementary ranks in the bottom 18.4% of Maryland elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Watkins Mill Elementary attend?

Students who attend Watkins Mill Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Montgomery Village Middle
High : Watkins Mill High

What is the racial makeup of Watkins Mill Elementary?

Students at Watkins Mill Elementary are 75% Hispanic, 14% African American, 6% Asian, 3% White, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Watkins Mill Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 734 students attended Watkins Mill Elementary.

What district is Watkins Mill Elementary in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

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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.