Summary:
This analysis examines two public middle schools in the 20832 zip code of Olney, Maryland: Rosa M. Parks Middle School and William H. Farquhar Middle School, both part of the highly-rated Montgomery County Public Schools district.
Rosa M. Parks Middle School stands out as the higher-ranked school overall, placing 50th in the state (85th percentile) compared to William H. Farquhar Middle School's 64th place (81st percentile). Rosa M. Parks excels in English Language Arts, with 75.2% of students proficient versus Farquhar's 72%, and has a lower percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch (16.45% vs. 27.71%). However, Farquhar demonstrates a fascinating "math paradox": it outperforms Parks in overall math proficiency (37.1% vs. 32.0%) and excels in advanced courses like Algebra I (48.6% vs. 31.1%) and Geometry (77.8% vs. 67.1%), yet struggles with grade-level math, particularly in 8th grade where only 2.2% of students are proficient compared to Parks' 12.8%. Farquhar also spends more per student ($21,175 vs. $19,235) and has a slightly better student-teacher ratio (15.7 vs. 16.4).
Both schools dramatically outperform state averages in English Language Arts and excel in 8th-grade Science and Social Studies, with Social Studies proficiency rates of 68.8% at Parks and 64.9% at Farquhar versus just 39.3% statewide. Chronic absenteeism is a shared strength, with rates of 13.7% at Parks and 12.3% at Farquhar—both well below the district average of 22.6%. For parents, Rosa M. Parks offers more consistent high performance and a stronger ELA program, while Farquhar provides exceptional advanced math opportunities but may leave some students behind in standard math. The choice depends on whether a family prioritizes overall academic excellence or specialized math acceleration.
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