Enrollment
645
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bethesda, MD
Bethesda Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bethesda Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240048000785
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bethesda Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Maryland schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #6 of 6
- schools in Bethesda · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.4:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 18.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Bethesda Elementary has class sizes larger than 85% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bethesda Elementary ranks #6 of 6 schools in Bethesda, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048000785 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.2%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bethesda Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bethesda Elementary
Bethesda Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bethesda, Maryland, enrolling 645 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.2% free-meal eligibility runs 63% below the Maryland average.
Enrollment of 645 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Among 232 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #203, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and Asian (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 645 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Bethesda's public schools, it stands alongside Ashburton Elementary (871 students): Bethesda Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.4:1 vs 17.4:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Bethesda 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 Bethesda Elementary compares
Bethesda 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 | 17.4:1 | ▲ 20% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.2% | ▼ 63% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 645 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
645
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in Maryland - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
19.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$18,101
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 645 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 35.5%
Asian 22.8%
African American 17.5%
Hispanic or Latino 15.3%
Two or More 8.8%
Largest group: White at 35.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.0, Bethesda Elementary is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montgomery County Public Schools, which includes Bethesda Elementary.
$18,101
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.0%
State 23.7%
Federal 10.3%
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 Bethesda Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bethesda Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,266
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 3,016
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,794
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,441
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,409
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Bethesda
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Ashburton Elementary
Standard public school
871 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Wyngate Elementary
Standard public school
640 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Wood Acres Elementary
Standard public school
609 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Woodlin Elementary
Standard public school
603 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Seven Locks Elementary
Standard public school
376 students 15:1 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 (~645 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bethesda Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bethesda Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Montgomery 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 Bethesda Elementary
How many students attend Bethesda Elementary?
Bethesda Elementary has 645 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bethesda, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bethesda Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bethesda Elementary is 17.4:1, which is 20% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bethesda Elementary?
18.2% of students at Bethesda Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bethesda Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bethesda Elementary is White at 35.5% of enrollment, in Bethesda, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bethesda Elementary?
Bethesda Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Bethesda Elementary rank among schools in Bethesda?
By Resource Investment Index, Bethesda Elementary ranks #6 of 6 schools in Bethesda, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bethesda on the city page.
Is Bethesda Elementary a good school?
Bethesda Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Bethesda Elementary, Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students), Walter Johnson High (3,016 students), and Wheaton High (2,794 students). See the Montgomery 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.