Enrollment
521
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bel Air, MD
Bel Air Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bel Air Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240039000681
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bel Air Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Bel Air · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 29.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Bel Air Elementary has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bel Air Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in Bel Air, MD.
School address
District: Harford County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240039000681 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.5%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bel Air Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bel Air Elementary
Bel Air Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Bel Air, Maryland, enrolling 521 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 29.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 521 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Among 278 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #30, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 44/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Harford County Public Schools spends $15,192 per pupil, 26% below the Maryland average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Bel Air's public schools, it stands alongside Homestead/Wakefield Elementary (1,071 students): Bel Air Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.8:1 vs 17.9:1).
Harford County Public Schools also operates Edgewood High (1,440 students) and Aberdeen High (1,396 students) alongside Bel Air 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 Bel Air Elementary compares
Bel Air 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 | 15.8:1 | ▲ 9% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.5% | ▼ 40% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 521 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
521
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 67% in Maryland - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,192
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
White 73.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Two or More 5.8%
African American 5.4%
Asian 4.0%
Largest group: White at 73.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.2, Bel Air Elementary is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Harford County Public Schools, which includes Bel Air Elementary.
$15,192
Per student
-26%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.6%
State 35.4%
Federal 12.0%
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 Bel Air Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgewood High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Aberdeen High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bel Air High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| C. Milton Wright High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Harford High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bel Air Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,440
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,396
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,341
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,291
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,204
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar other schools in Bel Air
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Homestead/Wakefield Elementary
Standard public school
1,071 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Prospect Mill Elementary
Standard public school
579 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Fountain Green Elementary
Standard public school
443 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Harford Academy at Campus Hills
Special-education school
141 students 2.8:1 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 (~521 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bel Air Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bel Air Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Harford 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 Bel Air Elementary
How many students attend Bel Air Elementary?
Bel Air Elementary has 521 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bel Air, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bel Air Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bel Air Elementary is 15.8:1, which is 9% 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 Bel Air Elementary?
29.5% of students at Bel Air Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bel Air Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bel Air Elementary is White at 73.3% of enrollment, in Bel Air, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bel Air Elementary?
Bel Air Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bel Air Elementary rank among schools in Bel Air?
By Resource Investment Index, Bel Air Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in Bel Air, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bel Air on the city page.
Is Bel Air Elementary a good school?
Bel Air Elementary earns 53/100 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 Harford County Public Schools?
Besides Bel Air Elementary, Harford County Public Schools also operates Edgewood High (1,440 students), Aberdeen High (1,396 students), and Bel Air High (1,341 students). See the Harford 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.