Enrollment
503
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Baltimore, MD
Baltimore Design School
Federal NCES profile for Baltimore Design School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240009001703
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Baltimore Design School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #50 of 177
- schools in Baltimore · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 75.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Baltimore Design School has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Baltimore Design School ranks #50 of 177 schools in Baltimore, MD.
School address
District: Baltimore City Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240009001703 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.4%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Baltimore Design School compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Baltimore Design School
Baltimore Design School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Baltimore, Maryland, enrolling 503 students.
At 15.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Maryland median, within a few percentage points of the 14.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 75.4% of students qualify for free meals, 54% above the Maryland average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 503 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 255 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #88.
Its student body is predominantly African American (87% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 252 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.6% 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.
Among Baltimore's public schools, it stands alongside Roland Park Elementary/Middle (1,371 students): Baltimore Design School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 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 Baltimore Design School.
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 Baltimore Design School compares
Baltimore Design School on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.4% | ▲ 54% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 503 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
503
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% 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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 60% in Maryland - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
61.6%
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 252 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 43 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.5 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
African American 87.0%
White 5.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%
Two or More 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 87.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.7, Baltimore Design School is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Baltimore City Public Schools, which includes Baltimore Design School.
$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 Baltimore Design School 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 | Higher 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 Baltimore Design School'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
Academy for College and Career Exploration
Standard public school
967 students 16.4:1 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
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 (~503 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Baltimore Design School's federal record.
- Compare Baltimore Design School 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 Baltimore Design School
How many students attend Baltimore Design School?
Baltimore Design School has 503 students enrolled. It is a public school in Baltimore, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Baltimore Design School?
The student-teacher ratio at Baltimore Design School is 15.2:1, which is 5% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Baltimore Design School?
75.4% of students at Baltimore Design School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Baltimore Design School?
The largest demographic group at Baltimore Design School is African American at 87.0% of enrollment, in Baltimore, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Baltimore Design School?
Baltimore Design School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical 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 Baltimore Design School rank among schools in Baltimore?
By Resource Investment Index, Baltimore Design School ranks #50 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 Baltimore Design School a good school?
Baltimore Design School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. It is also less 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 Baltimore City Public Schools?
Besides Baltimore Design School, 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.