For the 2025 school year, there are 9 public schools serving 6,856 students in Potomac, MD (there are 19 private schools, serving 5,415 private students). 56% of all K-12 students in Potomac, MD are educated in public schools (compared to the MD state average of 86%). Potomac has one of the highest concentrations of top ranked public schools in Maryland.
The top ranked public schools in Potomac, MD are Winston Churchill High School, Cold Spring Elementary School and Wayside Elementary School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Potomac, MD public schools have an average math proficiency score of 60% (versus the Maryland public school average of 25%), and reading proficiency score of 79% (versus the 45% statewide average). Schools in Potomac have an average ranking of 10/10, which is in the top 5% of Maryland public schools.
Minority enrollment is 60% of the student body (majority Asian), which is less than the Maryland public school average of 68% (majority Black).
Best Public Schools in Potomac, MD (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Winston Churchill High School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 87%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 1%10
11300 Gainsborough Rd
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-5400
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-5400
Grades: 9-12
| 2,203 students
Rank: #22.
Cold Spring Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 82% | Reading: 82%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
9201 Falls Chapel Way
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-4390
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-4390
Grades: K-5
| 335 students
Rank: #33.
Wayside Elementary School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
10011 Glen Rd
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-0240
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-0240
Grades: PK-5
| 470 students
Rank: #44.
Bells Mill Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 83%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
8225 Bells Mill Rd
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-0480
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-0480
Grades: PK-5
| 591 students
Rank: #55.
Potomac Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 70% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
10311 River Rd
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-4360
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-4360
Grades: K-5
| 435 students
Rank: #66.
Ritchie Park Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
1514 Dunster Rd
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-6310
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-6310
Grades: K-5
| 361 students
Rank: #77.
Beverly Farms Elementary School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
8501 Post Oak Road
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-0200
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-0200
Grades: K-5
| 561 students
Rank: #88.
Cabin John Middle School
(Math: 51% | Reading: 78%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
10701 Gainsborough Road
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 406-1600
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 406-1600
Grades: 6-8
| 974 students
Rank: #99.
Herbert Hoover Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 45% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
8810 Post Oak Rd
Potomac, MD 20854
(301) 968-3740
Potomac, MD 20854
(301) 968-3740
Grades: 6-8
| 926 students
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ranked public schools in Potomac, MD?
The top ranked public schools in Potomac, MD include Winston Churchill High School, Cold Spring Elementary School and Wayside Elementary School. Potomac has one of the highest concentrations of top ranked public schools in Maryland.
How many public schools are located in Potomac?
9 public schools are located in Potomac.
What percentage of students in Potomac go to public school?
56% of all K-12 students in Potomac are educated in public schools (compared to the MD state average of 86%).
What is the racial composition of students in Potomac?
Potomac public schools minority enrollment is 60% of the student body (majority Asian), which is less than the Maryland public schools average of 68% (majority Black).
Which public schools in Potomac are often viewed compared to one another?
Popular comparisons of public schools in Potomac include: Herbert Hoover Middle School vs. Cabin John Middle School, Cabin John Middle School vs. Herbert Hoover Middle School, Wayside Elementary School vs. Cold Spring Elementary School
Recent Articles
Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.
Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.
Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.