Enrollment
490
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hagerstown, MD
Bester Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bester Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240066001253
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bester Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Maryland schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #11 of 14
- schools in Hagerstown · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.1:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 85.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Bester Elementary has class sizes smaller than 87% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bester Elementary ranks #11 of 14 schools in Hagerstown, MD.
School address
District: Washington County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240066001253 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.1:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.4%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bester Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bester Elementary
Bester Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hagerstown, Maryland, enrolling 490 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.1:1, Bester Elementary is leaner than roughly 87% of Maryland schools and 23% under the state's 14.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 85.4% of students qualify for free meals, 74% above the Maryland average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 490 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 162 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #110.
Its student body is led by African American (30%) and White (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 490 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Washington County Public Schools spends $15,838 per pupil, 23% below the Maryland average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
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 Hagerstown's public schools, it stands alongside Pangborn Elementary (749 students): Bester Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.1:1 vs 15:1).
Washington County Public Schools also operates South Hagerstown High (1,690 students) and North Hagerstown High (1,583 students) alongside Bester 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 Bester Elementary compares
Bester 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 | 11.1:1 | ▼ 23% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.4% | ▲ 74% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 490 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.1:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
490
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% 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
11.1:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 13% in Maryland - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
54.3%
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
$15,838
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 490 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 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
African American 30.4%
White 28.8%
Hispanic or Latino 21.6%
Two or More 18.8%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 30.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.3, Bester Elementary is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washington County Public Schools, which includes Bester Elementary.
$15,838
Per student
-23%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.0%
State 53.7%
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 Bester Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Hagerstown High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Hagerstown High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Williamsport High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Heights Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| E. Russell Hicks Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bester Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,690
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,583
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,061
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 883
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 841
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Hagerstown
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Pangborn Elementary
Standard public school
749 students 15:1 students per teacher
Salem Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
713 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Rockland Woods Elementary
Standard public school
655 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Ruth Ann Monroe Primary
Standard public school
579 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Lincolnshire Elementary
Standard public school
503 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Jonathan Hager Elementary
Standard public school
498 students 17.2:1 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 (~490 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bester Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bester Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Washington 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 Bester Elementary
How many students attend Bester Elementary?
Bester Elementary has 490 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hagerstown, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bester Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bester Elementary is 11.1:1, which is 23% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 29% 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 Bester Elementary?
85.4% of students at Bester Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bester Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bester Elementary is African American at 30.4% of enrollment, in Hagerstown, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bester Elementary?
Bester Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Bester Elementary rank among schools in Hagerstown?
By Resource Investment Index, Bester Elementary ranks #11 of 14 schools in Hagerstown, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hagerstown on the city page.
Is Bester Elementary a good school?
Bester Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% 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 Washington County Public Schools?
Besides Bester Elementary, Washington County Public Schools also operates South Hagerstown High (1,690 students), North Hagerstown High (1,583 students), and Williamsport High (1,061 students). See the Washington 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.