Enrollment
806
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ellicott City, MD
Bellows Spring Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bellows Spring Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240042001551
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bellows Spring Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Maryland schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #7 of 7
- schools in Ellicott City · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 23.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Bellows Spring Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bellows Spring Elementary ranks #7 of 7 schools in Ellicott City, MD.
School address
District: Howard County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240042001551 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.3%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bellows Spring Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bellows Spring Elementary
Bellows Spring Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Ellicott City, Maryland, enrolling 806 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 23.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 806 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 235 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #146.
Its student body is led by Asian (34%) and African American (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 537 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Ellicott City's public schools, it stands alongside Veterans Elementary (883 students): Bellows Spring Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 13.2:1).
Howard County Public Schools also operates Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students) and Reservoir High (1,597 students) alongside Bellows Spring 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 Bellows Spring Elementary compares
Bellows Spring 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 | 12.8:1 | ▼ 12% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.3% | ▼ 52% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 806 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
806
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% 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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 27% in Maryland - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
20.0%
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
$17,971
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 537 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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
Asian 34.0%
African American 31.8%
White 18.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.8%
Two or More 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Asian at 34.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.8, Bellows Spring Elementary is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Howard County Public Schools, which includes Bellows Spring Elementary.
$17,971
Per student
-12%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.7%
State 29.5%
Federal 7.7%
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 Bellows Spring 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 | Similar 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 Bellows Spring Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- 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 Ellicott City
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Veterans Elementary
Standard public school
883 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Waverly Elementary
Standard public school
827 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Centennial Lane Elementary
Standard public school
749 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Ilchester Elementary
Standard public school
482 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
Worthington Elementary
Standard public school
403 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
Homewood School
Alternative education program
109 students 2.7:1 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 (~806 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bellows Spring Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bellows Spring Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Howard 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 Bellows Spring Elementary
How many students attend Bellows Spring Elementary?
Bellows Spring Elementary has 806 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ellicott City, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bellows Spring Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bellows Spring Elementary is 12.8:1, which is 12% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 18% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bellows Spring Elementary?
23.3% of students at Bellows Spring Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bellows Spring Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bellows Spring Elementary is Asian at 34.0% of enrollment, in Ellicott City, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bellows Spring Elementary?
Bellows Spring Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Bellows Spring Elementary rank among schools in Ellicott City?
By Resource Investment Index, Bellows Spring Elementary ranks #7 of 7 schools in Ellicott City, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Ellicott City on the city page.
Is Bellows Spring Elementary a good school?
Bellows Spring Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% 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 Howard County Public Schools?
Besides Bellows Spring 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.
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.