Enrollment
715
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Frederick, MD
Ballenger Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ballenger Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240033090471
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ballenger Creek Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Maryland schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #15 of 18
- schools in Frederick · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.4:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 45.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Ballenger Creek Elementary has class sizes larger than 85% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ballenger Creek Elementary ranks #15 of 18 schools in Frederick, MD.
School address
District: Frederick County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240033090471 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.4%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ballenger Creek Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ballenger Creek Elementary
Ballenger Creek Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Frederick, Maryland, enrolling 715 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 45.4% lands close to the Maryland typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 715 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 290 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #155.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (29%) and African American (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 358 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Frederick County Public Schools spends $14,981 per pupil, 27% below the Maryland average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Frederick's public schools, it stands alongside Waverley Elementary (965 students): Ballenger Creek Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.4:1 vs 14.8:1).
Frederick County Public Schools also operates Gov. Thomas Johnson High (2,066 students) and Urbana High (1,989 students) alongside Ballenger Creek 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 Ballenger Creek Elementary compares
Ballenger Creek 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 | 17.4:1 | ▲ 20% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.4% | ▼ 7% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 715 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
715
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in Maryland - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.0%
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
$14,981
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 358 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 28.7%
African American 26.2%
White 22.2%
Two or More 14.0%
Asian 8.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 28.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.3, Ballenger Creek Elementary is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Frederick County Public Schools, which includes Ballenger Creek Elementary.
$14,981
Per student
-27%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.4%
State 38.3%
Federal 11.2%
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 Ballenger Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gov. Thomas Johnson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Urbana High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frederick High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tuscarora High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Oakdale High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ballenger Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,066
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,989
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,821
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,735
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,702
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Frederick
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Waverley Elementary
Standard public school
965 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Tuscarora Elementary
Standard public school
793 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Whittier Elementary
Standard public school
779 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Urbana Elementary
Standard public school
736 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
North Frederick Elementary
Standard public school
660 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Yellow Springs Elementary
Standard public school
628 students 18.5:1 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 (~715 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ballenger Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ballenger Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Frederick 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 Ballenger Creek Elementary
How many students attend Ballenger Creek Elementary?
Ballenger Creek Elementary has 715 students enrolled. It is a public school in Frederick, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ballenger Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ballenger Creek Elementary is 17.4:1, which is 20% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ballenger Creek Elementary?
45.4% of students at Ballenger Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ballenger Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ballenger Creek Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 28.7% of enrollment, in Frederick, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ballenger Creek Elementary?
Ballenger Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Ballenger Creek Elementary rank among schools in Frederick?
By Resource Investment Index, Ballenger Creek Elementary ranks #15 of 18 schools in Frederick, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Frederick on the city page.
Is Ballenger Creek Elementary a good school?
Ballenger Creek Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Maryland schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Frederick County Public Schools?
Besides Ballenger Creek Elementary, Frederick County Public Schools also operates Gov. Thomas Johnson High (2,066 students), Urbana High (1,989 students), and Frederick High (1,821 students). See the Frederick 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.