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High★★★☆☆

Damascus High

Damascus cluster · 25921 Ridge Rd, 20872

73.2%MCAP ELA
5.4%MCAP Math
93.1%Graduation ’25
1,451Students

Academics

MCAP proficiency over time.

% proficient by subject
Data table
% proficient by subject
Series2019202120222023202420252026
ELA63.4%71.3%60.2%60.7%64.3%68.1%73.2%
Math12.3%≤5%≤5%≤5%11.9%5.4%≤5%
Science81.8%57%34.6%44.1%47.8%58.4%

Testing paused in 2020. A dashed line in a shaded band means the exact value is suppressed for privacy — it is ≤5%. Science scoring changed twice (2019 pre-MCAP scale; 2021 three bands, two pooled administrations; four bands from 2022), so science points before 2022 aren't comparable to later ones. Science swung sharply statewide between 2023 and 2026 (down, then back up, one grade at a time); those moves likely reflect the state assessment, not school-level change. High-school science isn’t published for 2026 yet. 2019 math reflects the larger PARCC-era Algebra 1 testing population and isn't comparable to later years.

Class size

Average class size by grade band over recent years, with the latest year measured against MCPS's published guideline.

Average class size by school year
Data table
Average class size by school year — average class size by school year (* = not comparable)
Series2017-20182018-20192019-20202020-20212021-20222022-20232023-20242024-2025
English15.1 *11.4 *13.6 *17.9 *16.7 *16.8 *25.726.7
Other20.5 *14.2 *14.3 *18.2 *18.0 *17.2 *22.522.3
  • English26.7target 30 · within guideline
  • Other22.3target 33 · within guideline

Source: MCPS School Profiles class-size extract vs. MCPS published class-size guidelines · Updated: 2024-2025

Proficiency by student group

This school's MCAP ELA proficiency by group (latest year). The spread is the opportunity gap.

Two or more88.0%
Asian85.7%
White83.7%
Non-econ. disadvantaged78.9%
Female78.8%
Students w/o disabilities77.0%
ADA / 50475.0%
Male67.8%
Black63.9%
Econ. disadvantaged59.0%
Hispanic58.5%
FARMS57.5%
Students w/ disabilities38.2%
Multilingual (EL)21.9%

5 groups not shown — too few students to report (withheld for privacy, not zero).

Special education

ELA73.2% all · 77% SWD
Science58.4% all · 17.2% SWD
Students with IEPs
14.5%
3.2 vs. typical
of enrollment · 201 students
504 plans
9.4%
0 vs. typical
of enrollment · 129 students
Caseload
11.7
0.9 vs. typical
students per special-ed teacher
Teachers per 100
8.91
0.9 vs. typical
teacher FTE per 100 with IEPs
Paras per 100
9.97
2.1 vs. typical
paraeducator FTE per 100 with IEPs
Inclusion (LRE)
68.8%
0 vs. typical
in general education 80%+ of the day
Inclusion (LRE) over time
Data table
Inclusion (LRE) over time
Series202320242025
Inclusion %56.4%62.1%68.8%

Time in general education (2025): 80%+ of the day 68.8% · 40–79% ≤5% · under 40% 30.7%

Staffing rates are per 100 students with IEPs; staffing is from 2025. Withheld values reflect privacy suppression, not zero.

Source: MCPS School Profiles / unified facts (LRE, staffing, SWD enrollment) · Updated: inclusion 2025, staffing 2025

Staffing

Staff relative to enrollment. The chip compares this school to the typical high school at this level.

Teachers
6.4
0 vs. typical
per 100 students
Support services
1.8
0.5 vs. typical
per 100 students
Counselors
4.4
0.1 vs. typical
per 1,000 students

Special education & multilingual support

Special-ed teachers
8.9
0.9 vs. typical
per 100 students with disabilities
Special-ed paraeducators
10
2.1 vs. typical
per 100 students with disabilities
ELD teachers
3.5
0.7 vs. typical
per 100 multilingual learners

Source: MCPS unified facts — staff FTE per student (support services = instructional support staff)

Programs & services

Special, choice, and support programs offered at this school — from magnet and application programs to career pathways and special-education services.

Academics

  • AP (Advanced Placement) Capstone
  • Dual Enrollment - Early College
  • Dual Enrollment - Virtual Middle College
  • Dual Enrollment (Jump Start)

CTE

  • Apprenticeship Maryland POS
  • Automotive Technology MLR POS
  • Certified Professional Horticulturalist (CPH) POS
  • Child Development Associate (CDA) POS
  • College/Career Research & Development (CCRD) POS
  • Computer Science/Code.org POS
  • Early Childhood Development POS
  • Fire Science and Rescue POS
  • IT Networking Academy (CISCO) POS
  • Professional Restaurant Management Culinary Arts (ACF) POS

Student Support

  • Bridge To Wellness
  • Our Minds Matter 23-24

Special Education

  • Adapted Physical Education
  • Learning and Academic Disabilities (LAD)/Resource
  • Learning for Independence (LFI)
  • School Community Based (SCB)
  • Speech/Language Resource K-12
  • Transition Resource Services

Source: MCPS Office of Student Affairs program catalog (2025). Find schools by program →

Students

Total enrollment over time
Data table
Total enrollment over time
Series202120222023202420252026
Enrollment1,4041,3811,4141,3981,3901,451

By race / ethnicity (2026).

White37.2%
Hispanic30.7%
Black13.2%
Asian11.3%
Two or more7.6%

Climate

Attendance and chronic absenteeism (absent 10%+ of days).

Attendance & chronic absenteeism
Data table
Attendance & chronic absenteeism
Series201920212022202320242025
Attendance92.4%94.3%93%90.8%90.5%89.8%
Chronic absenteeism25.7%17.5%24.1%31.4%31.5%34.4%

Enrollment & capacity outlook

A ten-year probabilistic enrollment forecast for this school, checked against its capacity. Part of the countywide capacity outlook, which explains the method and its track record.

Capacity risk, 2030–31
Watch
34% chance over capacity
Forecast enrollment, 2030–31
1,466
likely range 1,200–1,788
Capacity
1,570
funded projects included
Forecast confidence
Medium
not expected over capacity
actual forecast median 80% range MCPS projection capacity
Data table
School yearActualForecast (p10–p90)MCPS projection
2017–181271
2018–191311
2019–201353
2020–211404
2021–221381
2022–231414
2023–241398
2024–251390
2025–261451
2026–271470 (1375–1574)1468
2027–281504 (1362–1672)1458
2028–291494 (1312–1705)1415
2029–301484 (1257–1761)1420
2030–311466 (1200–1788)1411
2031–321746 (1381–2216)
2032–331707 (1298–2223)
2033–341663 (1218–2253)
2034–351571 (1105–2223)
2035–361499 (1024–2211)
  • Includes the board-adopted boundary change effective SY 2027–28: this school is projected to gain about 34 resident students then. Earlier years use current boundaries.

Source: mc-development forecast model — base year SY 2025–26; boundaries 2024-2025; development snapshot 2026-06-02 · Updated: 2026-07-31T00:00:00Z

Data: MSDE State Report Card (2019–2026), MCPS official Sept 30, 2025 enrollment count (extends the enrollment trend to 2025-26), MCPS School Profiles & unified facts, U.S. Census ACS 2024, MD SDAT. “≥95” / “≤5” and dropped groups are privacy-suppressed for small counts — withheld, not zero. Independent project, not affiliated with MCPS or MSDE.