Enrollment
777
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Frederick, MD
Ballenger Creek Middle
Federal NCES profile for Ballenger Creek Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 240033090446
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ballenger Creek Middle earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #2 of 5
- middle schools in Frederick · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- students per teacher
- 32.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ballenger Creek Middle has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ballenger Creek Middle ranks #2 of 5 middle schools in Frederick, MD.
School address
District: Frederick County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240033090446 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.8%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ballenger Creek Middle compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ballenger Creek Middle
Ballenger Creek Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Frederick, Maryland, enrolling 777 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 777 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 246 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #63.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 259 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.3% 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 middle schools, it stands alongside Crestwood Middle (996 students): Ballenger Creek Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.9:1 vs 22.1:1).
Frederick County Public Schools also operates Gov. Thomas Johnson High (2,066 students) and Urbana High (1,989 students) alongside Ballenger Creek Middle.
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 Middle compares
Ballenger Creek Middle on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▲ 10% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.8% | ▼ 33% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 777 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
777
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 69% in Maryland - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.3%
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
$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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 259 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 70 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.8 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
White 35.3%
Hispanic or Latino 26.4%
African American 22.4%
Asian 8.4%
Two or More 6.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 35.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.4, Ballenger Creek Middle 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 Middle.
$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 Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gov. Thomas Johnson High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Urbana High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frederick High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher 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 Middle'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 middle schools in Frederick
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Crestwood Middle
Standard public school
996 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
West Frederick Middle
Standard public school
820 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Monocacy Middle
Standard public school
710 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Gov. Thomas Johnson Middle
Standard public school
573 students 8.8:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~777 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ballenger Creek Middle's federal record.
- Compare Ballenger Creek Middle 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 Middle
How many students attend Ballenger Creek Middle?
Ballenger Creek Middle has 777 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Frederick, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ballenger Creek Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Ballenger Creek Middle is 15.9:1, which is 10% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ballenger Creek Middle?
32.8% of students at Ballenger Creek Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ballenger Creek Middle?
The largest demographic group at Ballenger Creek Middle is White at 35.3% of enrollment, in Frederick, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ballenger Creek Middle?
Ballenger Creek Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Middle rank among middle schools in Frederick?
By Resource Investment Index, Ballenger Creek Middle ranks #2 of 5 middle 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 middle schools in Frederick on the city page.
Is Ballenger Creek Middle a good school?
Ballenger Creek Middle earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. 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 Middle, 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.