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Alternative Programs

Public Grades 6-12

223^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 2% of Maryland high schools

Summary

Alternative Programs in Rockville, MD, is a specialized school within the Montgomery County Public Schools district that serves students in grades 6-12, with an extremely small enrollment that is reported as 0 students, indicating it is a non-traditional placement for students with significant academic, behavioral, or social-emotional needs.

This school stands out dramatically from nearby comprehensive high schools like Winston Churchill High and Thomas S. Wootton High, which serve thousands of students each. The most telling metric is chronic absenteeism, which reached 80.4% in 2018-2019, compared to the district average of 22.6%. Academic proficiency is critically low, with 0% of students proficient in mathematics and only 21.7% proficient in English Language Arts, far below the district averages of 36.9% and 58.5%, respectively. The graduation rate was just 25.0% in 2018-2019, while nearby schools like Richard Montgomery High boasted rates above 90%. The school spends over $50,000 per student, more than double the spending of any nearby comprehensive high school, reflecting the intensive resources required for this high-needs population.

Despite these challenging statistics, Alternative Programs serves a critical role as a safety net for students who have not succeeded in traditional settings. The most comparable school is Rock Terrace School, another specialized program with only 77 students and a student-teacher ratio of 3.5, which also has high per-student spending ($84,418) but a lower chronic absenteeism rate (39.2%). The 21.7% ELA proficiency in 2025-2026, while still low, represents an improvement from 0% the previous year, suggesting some positive movement in literacy instruction. For parents, this school is not a typical high school option but a specialized placement for students requiring intensive support to stay engaged in education.

Students ?

0.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

47.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

14501 Avery Road
Rockville, MD 20853

(240) 740-5000

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

Racial breakdown:

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 2nd percentile in 2007 → 2nd in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (12% vs 38% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (2nd percentile)

!English Language Arts scores 30 pts below the Maryland average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school12%

District avg47%

Maryland avg38%

223^rd of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Bottom 2%▼ down 15 pts since 2016

From bottom 17% (2016) to bottom 2% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

26^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)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2014	2.6	333 of 339	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	1.1	318 of 324	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	5.5	290 of 301	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	1.2	279 of 283	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	92.1	4 of 264	98.5%	★★★★★
2005	90.2	6 of 255	97.6%	★★★★★
2004	88.0	7 of 252	97.2%	★★★★★

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2026	8.7	223 of 227	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	6.8	194 of 197	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	16.3	193 of 233	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	10.9	201 of 233	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	13.4	195 of 231	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	0.3	184 of 185	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	11.5	194 of 220	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	51.3	138 of 213	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	17.3	182 of 214	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	2.0	204 of 209	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	1.8	201 of 204	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	3.2	199 of 204	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	25.4	190 of 201	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts22%-30 vs state

Mathematics0%-27 vs state

Algebra I0%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near Alternative Programs

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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
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%)	49.3	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
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
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	86^th of 227 public high schools	62.1%		43.5	94^th of 220 public high schools	57.3%	8	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%)	80.4	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
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
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
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Alternative Programs

How many students attend Alternative Programs?

In the 2024-25 school year, 0 students attended Alternative Programs.

Is Alternative Programs a good school?

Alternative Programs ranks in the bottom 1.8% of Maryland high schools.

What district is Alternative Programs in?

Montgomery County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Alternative Programs?

Students at Alternative Programs are .

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Schools in Rockville, MD

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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.