Enrollment
747
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Silver Spring, MD
Arcola Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Arcola Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240048001643
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Arcola Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #23 of 31
- schools in Silver Spring · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 64.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Arcola Elementary has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Arcola Elementary ranks #23 of 31 schools in Silver Spring, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048001643 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
54.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.9%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Arcola Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Arcola Elementary
Arcola Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Silver Spring, Maryland, enrolling 747 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 747 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 287 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #124.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 374 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Silver Spring's public schools, it stands alongside Joann Leleck at Broad Acres Elementary (756 students): Arcola Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.8:1 vs 10.8:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Arcola Elementary.
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 Arcola Elementary compares
Arcola Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.9% | ▲ 32% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 747 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
747
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% above the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 40% in Maryland - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.9%
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
$18,101
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 374 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 66.1%
African American 23.3%
White 5.2%
Asian 3.6%
Two or More 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.5, Arcola Elementary is about as mixed as the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montgomery County Public Schools, which includes Arcola Elementary.
$18,101
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.0%
State 23.7%
Federal 10.3%
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 Arcola Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Arcola Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,266
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 3,016
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,794
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,441
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,409
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Silver Spring
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Joann Leleck at Broad Acres Elementary
Standard public school
756 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Burnt Mills Elementary
Standard public school
747 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Greencastle Elementary
Standard public school
722 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Sargent Shriver Elementary
Standard public school
697 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Galway Elementary
Standard public school
695 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Weller Road Elementary
Standard public school
691 students 11.1:1 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 (~747 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Arcola Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Arcola Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Montgomery 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 Arcola Elementary
How many students attend Arcola Elementary?
Arcola Elementary has 747 students enrolled. It is a public school in Silver Spring, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Arcola Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Arcola Elementary is 13.8:1, which is 5% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Arcola Elementary?
64.9% of students at Arcola Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Arcola Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Arcola Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 66.1% of enrollment, in Silver Spring, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Arcola Elementary?
Arcola Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical 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 Arcola Elementary rank among schools in Silver Spring?
By Resource Investment Index, Arcola Elementary ranks #23 of 31 schools in Silver Spring, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Silver Spring on the city page.
Is Arcola Elementary a good school?
Arcola Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. 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 Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Arcola Elementary, Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students), Walter Johnson High (3,016 students), and Wheaton High (2,794 students). See the Montgomery 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.