Carroll County Public Schools

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. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Westminster, Maryland - 43 schools

An equity score of 26/100 ranks Carroll County Public Schools #22 of 24 districts in Maryland (state average 52). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,757 per pupil, Carroll County Public Schools ranks #21 of 24 Maryland districts by per-pupil spending (Maryland districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

25,787
Total Enrollment
43
Schools
$15,757
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Carroll County Public Schools operates 43 public schools serving 25,787 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Maryland. The school portfolio breaks down into 21 combined, 10 high, 9 middle, 3 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Carroll County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,757 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 3 of 24 Maryland districts by per-pupil spending. See how Maryland compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 54.2% local, 37.6% state, and 8.2% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 26/100, ranked #22 of 24 in Maryland against a state average of 52, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 43 schools offering Advanced Placement (146 AP courses district-wide), a 414.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 27.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 75.7% White, 8.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Robert Moton Elementary, with a diversity index of 61.7/100.

Its largest campus is Westminster High, enrolling 1,477 students (6% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Pride School, at 6 students, a 246x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Carroll County Public Schools school enrollment varies 246× across entities

Carroll County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 6 students (lowest) to 1,477 students (highest), a spread of 1,471 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Carroll County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 414:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Carroll County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 27.1% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Carroll County Public Schools is typically wider than the Carroll County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

8.2%
Federal
37.6%
State
54.2%
Local

Funding Equity

26
Equity Score
22 / 24
State Rank
52
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 43 schools in Carroll County Public Schools.

White 75.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
African American 6.3%
Asian 3.7%
Multiracial 5.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 39.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Carroll County Public Schools's schools, below the Maryland average of 52.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Robert Moton Elementary 61.7
  2. 2 Pride School 61.1
  3. 3 Westminster Elementary 54.0
  4. 4 Cranberry Station Elementary 53.8
  5. 5 Piney Ridge Elementary 52.7

Programs & Resources

7 / 43
Schools with AP
146 AP courses total
414.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
27.1%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Carroll County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Westminster High
1,477
Manchester Valley High
1,339
Winters Mill High
1,156
Century High
1,101
Liberty High
1,007
South Carroll High
933
Westminster West Middle
923
Francis Scott Key High
906
Oklahoma Road Middle
816
Westminster East Middle
796
Mount Airy Middle
761
Linton Springs Elementary
759
Winfield Elementary
724
Sykesville Middle
697
Manchester Elementary
671
Northwest Middle
655
Sandymount Elementary
640
Shiloh Middle
631
Freedom District Elementary
627
North Carroll Middle
626
Runnymede Elementary
625
Carrolltowne Elementary
593
Cranberry Station Elementary
593
William Winchester Elementary
587
Piney Ridge Elementary
578
Westminster Elementary
564
Ebb Valley Elementary
563
Friendship Valley Elementary
518
Mechanicsville Elementary
510
Elmer a. Wolfe Elementary
502
Eldersburg Elementary
470
Mount Airy Elementary
462
Taneytown Elementary
450
Robert Moton Elementary
440
Spring Garden Elementary
439
Hampstead Elementary
400
Parr's Ridge Elementary
391
Gateway School
80
Flexible Student Support
44
Post Secondary Program
36
Carroll Springs School
32
Crossroads Middle School
13
Pride School
6

How Carroll County Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Maryland districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Charles County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Washington County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
St. Mary's County Public Schools Smaller Similar spending Similar funding mix
Calvert County Public Schools Smaller Higher spending Less locally funded
Cecil County Public Schools Smaller Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Carroll County Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Maryland

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Carroll County Public Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Montgomery County Public Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Carroll County Public Schools?

Carroll County Public Schools has 43 schools, including 10 high, 9 middle, 21 combined, 3 elementary. Total enrollment is 25,787 students.

How much does Carroll County Public Schools spend per student?

Carroll County Public Schools spends $15,757 per student. The district has an equity score of 26/100, ranking #22 in Maryland.

What is the demographic composition of Carroll County Public Schools?

Carroll County Public Schools students are 75.7% White, 8.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% African American, 3.7% Asian, averaged across 43 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Carroll County Public Schools?

Carroll County Public Schools has an equity score of 26/100, ranking #22 out of 24 districts in Maryland.