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Potomac Shores Middle

Q: Is Potomac Shores Middle a good school?

Potomac Shores Middle ranks 218 th of 416 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

218^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 416 Virginia Middle Schools

Better than 48% of Virginia middle schools

Summary

Potomac Shores Middle is a large public school in Dumfries, Virginia, serving 1,229 students in grades 6–8 as part of Prince William County Public Schools. The school currently ranks in the 48th percentile of Virginia middle schools (218th out of 416), a step down from last year's 58th percentile showing. About 70% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, up sharply from 49% two years ago, yet the school has maintained academic stability despite this shift. Chronic absenteeism has improved considerably, dropping from 19.5% to 13.1% — now better than the district and state averages and most nearby schools.

Potomac Shores' clearest strength is mathematics. Sixth-grade math proficiency (75.8%) leads every nearby school, including Lake Ridge Middle and Herbert J. Saunders Middle, and beats district and state averages. Even more impressive, 100% of 8th graders taking Algebra I have scored proficient for three straight years, matching the top schools in the region. English reading is more middling: 6th grade is at par with state averages, but 7th and 8th grade scores trail both district and state, with nearby Lake Ridge and Saunders posting 8th-grade reading scores in the high 70s to mid-80s. Civics and Economics is a notable weak spot, with 73.7% proficiency versus the district's 82%.

Potomac Shores spends less per student ($9,305) than nearly every comparable school in the area — Graham Park Middle spends $12,785 and George M. Hampton Middle $12,062 — yet it outperforms all of them on overall rank and most test metrics. In its immediate geographic area, Potomac Shores is outranked only by Lake Ridge and Saunders. One anomaly worth noting: while Algebra I scores are perfect, the small group of 8th graders taking Geometry posted 80% proficiency, far below the district's 99%. Still, with steady attendance gains, strong math acceleration, and efficient use of resources, Potomac Shores stands as a solid mid-tier option for families in the Dumfries area.

1,229

Students ?

15.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,091

Per pupil spending ?

69.7%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

17851 Woods View Drive
Dumfries, VA 22026

(703) 291-3590

District: Prince William County Public Schools

Racial breakdown:

African American:

46.2%

Hispanic:

21.2%

White:

17.2%

See top rated Virginia middle schools

Compare Potomac Shores Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 38th percentile in 2023 → 48th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 10 percentile points since 2023

Worth a look

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

!Geometry scores 17 pts below the Virginia average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school69%

District avg70%

Virginia avg69%

218^th of 416

Virginia public middle schools ?

Bottom 48%▲ up 10 pts since 2023

From bottom 38% (2023) to bottom 48% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

8^th of 17Middle Schools in the Prince William County Public Schools

46^th of 131Prince William County Public Schools among Virginia 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	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	53.0	218 of 416	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	59.9	176 of 419	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.1	209 of 417	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.1	263 of 422	37.7%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	67.7	84 of 297	71.7%	★★★★☆
2025	72.3	58 of 297	80.5%	★★★★☆
2024	69.4	75 of 299	74.9%	★★★★☆
2023	61.8	108 of 298	63.8%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	22.3	117 of 137	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	40.2	95 of 136	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.0	96 of 128	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.8	108 of 132	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	45.9	140 of 292	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	39.1	159 of 281	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.2	191 of 278	31.3%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	45.7	58 of 134	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.7	49 of 135	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.8	52 of 122	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.2	31 of 100	69.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	56.5	191 of 409	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	64.1	150 of 403	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.8	205 of 407	49.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.4	243 of 411	40.9%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	56.9	122 of 283	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	61.7	100 of 279	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.9	147 of 272	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.0	175 of 275	36.4%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	43.8	243 of 401	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	47.3	224 of 403	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.3	200 of 402	50.2%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	49.2	225 of 410	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	53.9	192 of 404	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.4	198 of 407	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	40.0	256 of 409	37.4%	★★☆☆☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	37.0	99 of 125	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	49.6	70 of 130	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.9	95 of 123	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.4	94 of 114	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	44.7	148 of 249	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	58.8	99 of 244	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	67.0	67 of 237	71.7%	★★★★☆
2023	34.0	165 of 231	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	68.8	105 of 400	73.8%	★★★★☆
2025	75.1	61 of 400	84.8%	★★★★☆
2024	67.2	112 of 396	71.7%	★★★★☆
2023	60.5	160 of 402	60.2%	★★★☆☆

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)

White (2026)74th percentile+26 vs school

African American (2026)72nd percentile+24 vs school

Hispanic (2026)57th percentile+9 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)57th percentile+9 vs school

Female (2026)53rd percentile+6 vs school

Disabled (2026)52nd percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)45th percentile~ school

Multi-racial (2026)41st percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)39th percentile-8 vs school

Military Connected (2026)21st percentile-27 vs school

Asian (2026)15th percentile-33 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I100%+5 vs state

Geometry80%-17 vs state

Civics and Economics74%~ state avg

English Reading72%~ state avg

Science69%+4 vs state

Mathematics59%+4 vs state

1.5

4 ratings · 4 written reviews

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, March 4, 2024

This school is terrible and I’m glad my child is out of there. Bullying and fighting were constant issues. Math teachers were great but the others were sub-par or lacking. Not much communication from this school to the community and the PE department was the biggest disappointment. We are a very active family and my child was excited for the new facilities. Sadly, my child told me that the teacher stands in the corner most days on her computer or on her phone. When I tried to contact her with my concerns, she started talking about what a great teacher was, how long she’s been teaching, and how my child didn’t change for PE class. In my opinion, she was very unprofessional and delusional. Unfortunately, quality neighborhoods don’t equal quality teachers. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Administration is non responsive to bullying and criminal activity here. Don't let the new building or new construction neighborhood distract from the issues that are stemming from this middle school. Parents have to find out serious issues at school through the said student or once it has already escalated to a more serious matter. Come to find that administration was aware but never update or inform parents. They say they will investigate or follow up and it is never done. Shame on them. I would send my child somewhere else before I consider anyone else I know attend this middle school unless there is serious steps taken to fix these matters. It's not safe or conducive to a learning environment where the kids thrive and are protected. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, March 8, 2022

This is a horrible school with a very bad management(principal). We are finally out of this school. There is way too much bullying in this school and the principal does NOT do anything about it but accused me and my daughter of liars after a student pushed her, she fell and hit her head and was so deep that Dr had to do 5 staples. I don’t post the pictures because they are very rough. This happened 2 weeks ago and until this day no one has called us from the school to check on mu daughter. Ive done a lot including speaking with the superintendent and nothing is getting done and our only options was to transfer school or stay here and that’s not gonna happened.
Do NOT I repeat Do not exposed your kids to this school with the poor management. Close Quote

by a student
Monday, October 25, 2021

this school is so ghetto. no one knows how to flush a toilet and theres always pee on the ground. the teachers whistle in your ears which is probably gonna make someone go deaf. the only good thing is that theres a decent amnt of lgbqt+ students so yea Close Quote

Schools Near Potomac Shores 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)				SOL Geometry (2026)		SOL Algebra I (2026)			SOL Mathematics (2026)			SOL Science (2026)	SOL English Reading (2026)			SOL Civics and Economics (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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	SOL Geometry 7th Grade	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 6th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Potomac Shores Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	17851 Woods View Drive	Dumfries	22026	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 291-3590	1,229	77	15.9	69.7%	212 (17.2%)	568 (46.2%)	261 (21.2%)	106 (8.6%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	76 (6.2%)	53	218^th of 416 public middle schools	47.6%		59.9	176^th of 419 public middle schools	58.0%	42	≥ 50%	80.0		515.0	100.0	75.8	47.8	42.3	69.1	72.4	69.9	72.4		73.7	$10,091	$78	$10,013
Graham Park Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	3613 Graham Park Rd	Triangle	22172	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 221-2118	713	55	13.0	68.9%	78 (10.9%)	239 (33.5%)	304 (42.6%)	60 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (4.5%)	37.1	302^nd of 416 public middle schools	27.4%		39.7	281^st of 419 public middle schools	32.9%	21		≥ 50%		100.0	96.1	58.5	36.4	34.5	65.7	59.3	63.9	70.7		76.3	$13,549	$390	$13,158
Potomac Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	3130 Panther Pride Drive	Dumfries	22026	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 221-4996	931	72	12.9	69.8%	103 (11.1%)	292 (31.4%)	337 (36.2%)	127 (13.6%)	3 (0.3%)	7 (0.8%)	62 (6.7%)	30.5	326^th of 416 public middle schools	21.6%		35.8	300^th of 419 public middle schools	28.4%	26		≥ 50%		≥ 50%	98.0	55.0	38.9	39.0	54.4	65.0	61.9	61.9		71.8	$12,529	$284	$12,245
Rippon Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	15101 Blackburn Rd	Woodbridge	22191	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 491-2171	1,200	84	14.2	69.3%	108 (9.0%)	355 (29.6%)	554 (46.2%)	121 (10.1%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	57 (4.8%)	43.5	273^rd of 416 public middle schools	34.4%		33.9	309^th of 419 public middle schools	26.3%	36	≥ 50%	100.0	≥ 50%	100.0	94.2	65.1	38.2	38.6	65.2	69.7	64.6	72.5		74.4	$11,375	$233	$11,142
George M. Hampton Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	14800 Darbydale Avenue	Woodbridge	22193	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(703) 670-6166	893	73	12.2	69.8%	72 (8.1%)	155 (17.4%)	526 (58.9%)	116 (13.0%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (2.4%)	29.8	329^th of 416 public middle schools	20.9%		32	316^th of 419 public middle schools	24.6%	13		≥ 50%		100.0	96.9	52.4	26.2	38.4	55.8	59.0	64.2	63.7		83.5	$12,662	$654	$12,008
Woodbridge Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2201 York Dr	Woodbridge	22191	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 494-3181	873	62	14.0	69.5%	147 (16.8%)	186 (21.3%)	388 (44.4%)	109 (12.5%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	39 (4.5%)	33.4	317^th of 416 public middle schools	23.8%		40.3	277^th of 419 public middle schools	33.9%	40		100.0		100.0	98.8	55.4	37.4	29.7	59.3	65.1	67.0	58.2		77.8	$12,265	$264	$12,000
Fred M. Lynn Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1650 Prince William Parkway	Woodbridge	22191	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(703) 494-5157	973	77	12.6	68.7%	84 (8.6%)	221 (22.7%)	549 (56.4%)	83 (8.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (3.5%)	24	355^th of 416 public middle schools	14.7%		28.5	332^nd of 419 public middle schools	20.8%	23		502.0		523.0	98.9	52.5	36.7	21.5	50.8	62.2	59.2	58.8		72.5	$13,228	$702	$12,526
Shirley C. Heim Middle	Public	6-8	320 Telegraph Road	Stafford	22554	Stafford County	Stafford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 658-5910	953	64	14.8	54.0%	248 (26.0%)	197 (20.7%)	379 (39.8%)	57 (6.0%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	68 (7.1%)	26.8	340^th of 416 public middle schools	18.3%		22.1	360^th of 419 public middle schools	14.1%	20		100.0		97.5	96.1	54.3		35.8	52.3	59.0	67.1	65.3	54.5		$9,644	$299	$9,345
Stuart M. Beville Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	4901 Dale Blvd	Woodbridge	22193	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 878-2593	1,181	87	13.5	69.2%	120 (10.2%)	196 (16.6%)	646 (54.7%)	160 (13.5%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	55 (4.7%)	34.1	315^th of 416 public middle schools	24.3%		39.6	284^th of 419 public middle schools	32.2%	31		436.0		≥ 50%	94.4	51.2	37.5	41.8	59.8	61.3	67.0	68.9		71.1	$11,988	$211	$11,777
Lake Ridge Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	12350 Mohican Rd	Woodbridge	22192	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 494-5154	1,487	92	16.0	69.3%	437 (29.4%)	311 (20.9%)	458 (30.8%)	148 (10.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	131 (8.8%)	67.7	123^rd of 416 public middle schools	70.4%		73	97^th of 419 public middle schools	76.8%	26		100.0	≥ 50%	100.0	94.5	71.3	43.6	39.4	74.6	79.9	81.5	84.4		88.5	$10,128	$69	$10,058

Frequently Asked Questions about Potomac Shores Middle

What is the racial makeup of Potomac Shores Middle?

Students at Potomac Shores Middle are 46% African American, 21% Hispanic, 17% White, 9% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

How many students attend Potomac Shores Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,229 students attended Potomac Shores Middle.

What district is Potomac Shores Middle in?

Prince William County Public Schools

Is Potomac Shores Middle a good school?

Potomac Shores Middle ranks 218^th of 416 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Potomac Shores Middle!

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Schools in Dumfries, VA

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Latest Virginia data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 SOL test scoresAug 25, 2026

2021–22 school spending dataFeb 16, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia 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.