- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, MD
Atholton Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Atholton Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240042000718
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Atholton Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #7 of 12
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 15.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Atholton Elementary has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Atholton Elementary ranks #7 of 12 schools in Columbia, MD.
School address
District: Howard County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240042000718 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+31 students YoY
Atholton Elementary grew from 489 students in 2022-23 to 520 in 2023-24 (+6.3%).
Teacher FTE held 35.5 → 35.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+31 students YoY 240042000718 · Columbia, MD Other · MID · TRAD
516 enr · 14.7:1 · 15.7% lunch · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students)
Atholton Elementary grew from 489 students in 2022-23 to 520 in 2023-24 (+6.3%). Teacher FTE held 35.5 → 35.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Maryland schools → · Find another →
Atholton Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Marriotts Ridg
Marriotts Ridge High
1,741 students
- Reservoir High
Reservoir High
1,597 students
- Atholton High
Atholton High
1,540 students
- Howard High
Howard High
1,493 students
- Mount Hebron H
Mount Hebron High
1,455 students
- This school 516
Atholton Elementary
516 students
What this shows Atholton Elementary reports 516 students on the CCD universe file.
How Atholton Elementary compares
Atholton Elementary is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.7% | ▼ 68% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 516 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
516
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
15.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 53% in Maryland - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$19,256
per pupil, district-wide
- above Maryland avg of $18,753
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 516 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 49.6%
African American 21.1%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Two or More 10.1%
Asian 6.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 49.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.0, Atholton Elementary is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Howard County Public Schools reports $19,256 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Atholton Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriotts Ridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reservoir High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Atholton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Howard High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mount Hebron High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Atholton Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,597
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,540
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,493
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,455
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Columbia
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Phelps Luck Elementary
Standard public school
681 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Waterloo Elementary
Standard public school
666 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Swansfield Elementary
Standard public school
594 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Talbott Springs Elementary
Standard public school
461 students 10:1 students per teacher
Cradlerock Elementary
Standard public school
453 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Longfellow Elementary
Standard public school
446 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~516 students)
Frequently asked questions about Atholton Elementary
How many students attend Atholton Elementary?
Atholton Elementary has 516 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, MD. CCD year-over-year: 489 (2022-23) → 520 (2023-24), up 31.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Atholton Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Atholton Elementary is 14.7:1, which is 1% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Atholton Elementary?
15.7% of students at Atholton Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Atholton Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Atholton Elementary is White at 49.6% of enrollment, in Columbia, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Atholton Elementary?
Atholton Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Atholton Elementary rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Atholton Elementary ranks #7 of 12 schools in Columbia, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbia on the city page.
What other schools are in Howard County Public Schools?
Besides Atholton Elementary, Howard County Public Schools also operates Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students), Reservoir High (1,597 students), and Atholton High (1,540 students). See the Howard County Public Schools district page for the complete list.