Captain James E. Daly Elementary School

Posted: April 22, 2026

Posted: April 22, 2026

From the administration and the children at this school. I wouldn’t recommend this school to an enemy. I have witnessed staff speak to children in a demeaning manor, tell students they are going to get them in trouble with their parents and that they are a bad kid. If they do that in front of other adults, can you imagine what they do when alone with your child?

Children at this school aren’t held accountable and it’s always an excuse. Child here anre bullies, use physical contact first, very little is done by staff, student get away with murder, student are forced to have restorative conversations even when someone gets physical and both are forced to apologize. Continuing a cycle of violence and abuse with zero consequences and then wonder why the cycle continues. Although I haven’t come across a lot of amazing teachers I will say there are a few. Both of my children have expressed that a lot of the specials teachers are mean (media, music), shout a lot and are not liked.

I have heard students at the park across the street say all their teachers do is yell and shout etc. I hear parents asking other kids about being picked on and bullying. That is what this school enables and cultivates. The fish rots from the head and both the principal and asst principal cover for each other, full of excuses and after several interactions are untrustworthy.

Posted: April 22, 2026

Posted: April 22, 2026

Posted: April 22, 2026

Posted: April 22, 2026

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Posted: April 22, 2026

Posted: January 1, 2024

This is the best school ever y’all should put your kids in this schools it’s the best school ever

Posted: December 17, 2021

Posted: December 17, 2021

My children have been at this school since January 2021. We love the school and the staff. Unfortunately, the school has no control over how children are raised at home and this may give the school a bad reputation. However, I believe that the school is trying their best. This school deserves a better rating.

Posted: December 17, 2021

Posted: December 17, 2021

Posted: December 17, 2021

Posted: December 17, 2021

Posted: December 17, 2021

Posted: December 17, 2021

Posted: January 16, 2021

My son went to Daly through 3rd grade. The school has numerous activities for the students and their families. There was a bit of teasing amongst the students, but the school staff is always there to mediate, at least in my experience. I believe the parents’ involvement in the school activities plays a factor on how schools are perceived. My son managed to go to Fox Chapel for a gifted and talented program straight from Daly. His experience was great during the years he attended Daly. 4/5

Posted: January 16, 2021

Posted: January 16, 2021

Posted: January 16, 2021

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Posted: January 16, 2021

Posted: January 16, 2021

Posted: March 18, 2018

This is the first time my 1st grader and 5th grader have gone to public school. They were homeschooled prior to attending Daly. I was nervous about the school being a Title 1 school, but I have been very pleasantly surprised with Daly. My kids LOVE their teachers and I LOVE all the activities that Daly offers for parents and families. There have been parent tours, muffins and math, bingo night, etc. This is a great school! The administration is very responsive to parents and I'm very pleased with all the individualized teaching programs available. Keep up the good work, Daly!

Posted: March 18, 2018

Posted: March 18, 2018

Posted: March 18, 2018

Posted: March 18, 2018

Posted: March 18, 2018

Posted: March 18, 2018

Posted: February 25, 2018

Posted: February 25, 2018

Posted: February 25, 2018

Posted: February 25, 2018

Posted: February 25, 2018

Posted: February 25, 2018

Worst ever, way too much bullying. I give it 0 out of 10.

Posted: September 28, 2017

Posted: September 28, 2017

Posted: September 28, 2017

Posted: September 28, 2017

Posted: September 28, 2017

Posted: September 28, 2017

Posted: September 28, 2017

Donuts for dad's day at school today. The cafeteria was filled with students and their dads who took the morning off work to be with their kids. The turnout was much larger than expected so they had to send someone out to get more. Nice to see parents so involved in their kids education! Great sense of community here!

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

I cannot speak to the bullying at Daly, but I can say that my child came home from school with a smile 99.99% of the time. I am surprised by the other reviews. Staff is great at updating parents and keeping us in the loop. I feel very involved in the happenings. I believe the class sizes, atmosphere, and teachers helped my shy child break out of their shell. Overall a wonderful experience so far, and I am looking forward to the new school year.

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Daly is a great school! My daughter went to Daly through 3rd grade and then went to the honors program at Fox Chapel. She is currently in high school at Clarksburg. I feel Daly prepared her well for middle school and high school. I believe that the most important aspect of a classroom is the teacher and I've been happy with the teachers every year. Some, maybe all, of her teachers had masters degrees and had taught for at least 10 years. The class sizes were always on the smaller side, even for Montgomery County. If you are an active and involved parent, your kids will get as much from Daly as any other school. I never felt like my kids were lost or ignored at Daly and the administration welcomed parent involvement and support.

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: August 23, 2017

Posted: August 23, 2017

Posted: August 23, 2017

Posted: August 23, 2017

Posted: August 23, 2017

Posted: August 23, 2017

Posted: August 23, 2017

I'm a parent of a kindergarten son at James Daly Elementary. We've had a great experience so far. I haven't seen any instances of any of the negative things listed in the other comments, such as bullying. The principal, lead teachers, and special ed teachers at the school have been great. My son loved ELO SAIL, which is the title 1 funded summer program. He said he liked it as much as the expensive camp we paid for over the summer and came home talking about how tornados work. I'm frankly baffled by some of the statistics, such as the percentage of kids getting free and reduced price lunch, when the homes that send to this school are in the price range of $200,000 for a condo and $620,000 for a 6 bedroom home. I have a suspicion that this is because income for this purpose is self reported to the school and not verified by the county. From what I've seen Montgomery County and the leadership of this school is doing a great job. The teachers are highly educated and motivated and the extra funding allows class sizes to be very small, almost on par with an expensive private school. Some of the test scores seem to drop off from 3rd to 4th grade, but that's because the top kids in the class end up in the magnet at Fox Chappel. By the way, the magnet kids in Poolesville and Clarksburg end up at Fox Chappel for 4th and 5th grade as well. Using the 5th grade test scores for comparisons is disingenuous because of these magnet programs. This school is on par with Fox Chappel, Gibbs, Sally Ride, and the other elementary schools in Northern Montgomery County.

Posted: December 8, 2016

The Teachers are great! They try their very best to create a good environment for the kids. However it is very obvious that the only goal the head of the school has is to get as much funding as possible. Even if it means keeping the kids education level and grades low to receive the extra funding for this Title 1 school.

Posted: December 8, 2016

Most times bullying is ignored. And parents are told its due to not enough staff. Not true! Need to spend time with children to teach right and wrong way to behave in school.

Posted: December 8, 2016

Posted: December 8, 2016

All about getting the extra funding even to the point of keeping kids grades and education low to keep charter status.

Posted: December 8, 2016

Kids are not taught values. All kids need to fend for themselves.

Posted: December 8, 2016

Teachers are very good at their job. Loving and yet tough when needed.

Posted: December 8, 2016

Not enough homework given. Most days not at all.

Posted: March 14, 2016

This is our 3rd year with my daughter and my son is starting next year. Great teachers working really hard. Everyone seems very involved. The
School always have activities and communication with parents is excellent . I would say some parents are not participating as they should.

Posted: March 14, 2016

Posted: March 14, 2016

Posted: March 14, 2016

I can see it in my daughter her friends and my neighbors. It is a great school but parents are not participating as much

Posted: January 5, 2016

Posted: January 5, 2016

Posted: January 5, 2016

Posted: January 5, 2016

A parent

My son is in the 4th grade and in the middle of the school year I am in the process of removing him from this school. He has only attended here for one week prior to us moving into this area. There are 4th grade children that like to bully others for fun. I have low tolerance for bullying. I will do any and everything to get him out of there. To me, the staff members do not seem as though they take things like this very seriously. For a little girl to come to my son indicating that she will get her gang on him and its real is not the environment I feel safe and comfortable for my son to be in. The caliber of people going to this particular school just seems like very troublesome children. I am a well involved parent and if I were you the piece of advice I will give to you is look into the school you put your child and children in because every Montgomery Co. School is not a good school.

Posted: December 3, 2015

I have had four kids attend Daly- two that are now graduated from High School and two currently attending- so I am a long time Daly parent. The current principal and vice principal are fantastic. We have had wonderful teachers who take an interest in my children and help them play to their strengths. There were two very rude front office staff that have since been replaced so that problem is solved. The biggest problem ( in my opinion) is that overall parent participation is very low. PTA is poorly attended with a core group of about ten people carrying the load. Staff and administration can only do so much without solid support of parents. This is a title one school and very diverse.

Posted: May 21, 2014

Worst school ever, don't complain to them they will take on you kids. They label kids and stress them. They call you for anything. Don't send your kids there I was just waiting for the end of the year to move my kids.

Posted: September 29, 2013

Two of my kids went to Daly Elementary and they loved it. It is a great school, great teachers, the principal is very involved and caring. Both of my kids received a tailored education that catered to their needs. For instance they were placed in a higher Math class since first grade. When my eldest started Middle school, he skipped six grade math and reading and he started directly in seventh grade math and reading. I think the staff, the teachers are very caring and my kids would not have been able to succeed without the teachers at Daly. We were very involved with the school and the PTA as the school cannot achieve much without the parents full dedication and involvement. Thank you Mrs. Dietz for all your hard work!

Posted: September 29, 2013

Great School, my attends Daly and he loves it. We move dto the are in 2008 and we love it here. The teachers are great and the school principal is very dedicated with years of hands on experience in the education field. My son progressed very nicely in both reading and Math and he loves the extracurricular activities offered at Daly. He loved Mrs. Sheinen, his second grade teacher, her kindness and her generosity has had a long lasting impact on him. I also like the teacher's willingness to cooperate with the parents to help students succeed. Their willingness to communicate with the parents. I think more parents involvement would be very beneficial. Thank you Daly for making every child a Daly success!

Posted: August 27, 2013

Really great school, with teachers and an administration that care about my child. My daughter has progressed nicely, even in math. We've been at the school for 3 years, and are very pleased with the academics, teachers, and administration.

Posted: July 22, 2013

the badest school in maryland big bullying problem and awful staff the bullying realy bad i had too take my kid defence classes. REALY BAD SCHOOL

Posted: May 14, 2013

The people in the administrative office need to look into their attitude the way they speak to parents especially when they need to remind parents of the rules and regulations. Not all we parents can remember what the rules are at the school. Have some respect when talking to parents, you cannot be talking to a parent like your talking to a child when telling a parent about your rules. Some training needs to be done, the tone really matters when talking to someone....some of us know this through experience....am glad this the last year for my kids to attend this school. I have experienced this with the admin office several times....this is disrespectful!!

Posted: April 7, 2013

This school is amazing and teacher co-operation in academic Improvements with student / child great.

Posted: April 7, 2013

I am very happy with my kid 's teacher ...she is too good, always be in touch with parents about what is being teaching at the classes and upcoming projects students are going to do. I am very much satisfied with this school.