Enrollment
967
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Baltimore, MD
Academy for College and Career Exploration
Federal NCES profile for Academy for College and Career Exploration, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240009001381
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Academy for College and Career Exploration earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Maryland schools.
- #148 of 177
- schools in Baltimore · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.4:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 74.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Academy for College and Career Exploration has class sizes larger than 75% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Academy for College and Career Exploration ranks #148 of 177 schools in Baltimore, MD.
School address
District: Baltimore City Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240009001381 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
59.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.7%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Academy for College and Career Exploration compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Academy for College and Career Exploration
Academy for College and Career Exploration is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Baltimore, Maryland, enrolling 967 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 74.7% of students qualify for free meals, 52% above the Maryland average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 967 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 1,382 Maryland schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 133 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #118, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 484 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 62.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Baltimore's public schools, it stands alongside Roland Park Elementary/Middle (1,371 students): Academy for College and Career Exploration is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.4:1 vs 19.6:1).
Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students) and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 students) alongside Academy for College and Career Exploration.
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 Academy for College and Career Exploration compares
Academy for College and Career Exploration on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.4:1 | ▲ 13% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.7% | ▲ 52% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 967 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
967
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% above the Maryland average of 49.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 75% in Maryland - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
62.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$18,272
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 484 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 69.8%
Hispanic or Latino 17.7%
White 8.8%
Asian 2.1%
Two or More 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 69.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.3, Academy for College and Career Exploration is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 8
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Baltimore City Public Schools, which includes Academy for College and Career Exploration.
$18,272
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.3%
State 51.4%
Federal 15.3%
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 Academy for College and Career Exploration Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Baltimore Polytechnic Institute | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baltimore City College | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kipp Harmony Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roland Park Elementary/Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Academy for College and Career Exploration's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,714
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,632
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,399
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,371
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Baltimore
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Roland Park Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
1,371 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Lakeland Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
1,070 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
John Ruhrah Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
1,061 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Hampstead Hill Academy
Standard public school
933 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
The Belair-Edison School
Standard public school
911 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Leith Walk Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
910 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Maryland, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~967 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Academy for College and Career Exploration's federal record.
- Compare Academy for College and Career Exploration against another school. Compare schools
- Baltimore City 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 Academy for College and Career Exploration
How many students attend Academy for College and Career Exploration?
Academy for College and Career Exploration has 967 students enrolled. It is a public school in Baltimore, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Academy for College and Career Exploration?
The student-teacher ratio at Academy for College and Career Exploration is 16.4:1, which is 13% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Academy for College and Career Exploration?
74.7% of students at Academy for College and Career Exploration are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Academy for College and Career Exploration?
The largest demographic group at Academy for College and Career Exploration is African American at 69.8% of enrollment, in Baltimore, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Academy for College and Career Exploration?
Academy for College and Career Exploration has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Academy for College and Career Exploration rank among schools in Baltimore?
By Resource Investment Index, Academy for College and Career Exploration ranks #148 of 177 schools in Baltimore, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Baltimore on the city page.
Is Academy for College and Career Exploration a good school?
Academy for College and Career Exploration earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Maryland 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 Baltimore City Public Schools?
Besides Academy for College and Career Exploration, Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students), Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 students), and Baltimore City College (1,470 students). See the Baltimore City 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.