Enrollment
1,229
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Dumfries, VA
Potomac Shores Middle
Federal NCES profile for Potomac Shores Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510313003077
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Potomac Shores Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Virginia schools.
- #5 of 10
- public schools in Dumfries · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.8:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 40.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Potomac Shores Middle has class sizes larger than 89% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Potomac Shores Middle ranks #5 of 10 public schools in Dumfries, VA.
School address
District: Prince William County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510313003077 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
73.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.6%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Potomac Shores Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Potomac Shores Middle
Potomac Shores Middle is a large middle school in Dumfries, Virginia, enrolling 1,229 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.8:1 is larger than about 89% of Virginia schools and 21% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Virginia, bigger than 90% of state schools at 1,229 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 147 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #60.
Its student body is led by African American (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 307 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
15.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Dumfries's middle schools, it stands alongside Potomac Middle (931 students): Potomac Shores Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 14.8:1).
Prince William County Public Schools also operates Charles J. Colgan Sr. High (2,956 students) and Woodbridge High (2,898 students) alongside Potomac Shores Middle.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Potomac Shores Middle compares
Potomac Shores Middle on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.8:1 | ▲ 21% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.6% | ▼ 30% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,229 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,229
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 89% in Virginia - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,913
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 307 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
35
in-school suspensions + 91 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 46.2%
Hispanic or Latino 21.2%
White 17.2%
Asian 8.6%
Two or More 6.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 46.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.1, Potomac Shores Middle is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Prince William County Public Schools, which includes Potomac Shores Middle.
$13,913
Per student
-5%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.2%
State 44.1%
Federal 8.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Potomac Shores Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles J. Colgan Sr. High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodbridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Osbourn Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gainesville High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gar-Field High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Potomac Shores Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,956
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,898
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,661
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 2,648
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,524
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar middle schools in Dumfries
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,229 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Potomac Shores Middle's federal record.
- Compare Potomac Shores Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Prince William County Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Potomac Shores Middle
How many students attend Potomac Shores Middle?
Potomac Shores Middle has 1,229 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Dumfries, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Potomac Shores Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Potomac Shores Middle is 16.8:1, which is 21% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Potomac Shores Middle?
40.6% of students at Potomac Shores Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Potomac Shores Middle?
The largest demographic group at Potomac Shores Middle is African American at 46.2% of enrollment, in Dumfries, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Potomac Shores Middle?
Potomac Shores Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Potomac Shores Middle rank among public schools in Dumfries?
By Resource Investment Index, Potomac Shores Middle ranks #5 of 10 public schools in Dumfries, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Dumfries on the city page.
Is Potomac Shores Middle a good school?
Potomac Shores Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Virginia schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Prince William County Public Schools?
Besides Potomac Shores Middle, Prince William County Public Schools also operates Charles J. Colgan Sr. High (2,956 students), Woodbridge High (2,898 students), and Osbourn Park High (2,661 students). See the Prince William County Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.