Enrollment
598
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Waldorf, MD
C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240027000380
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #4 of 12
- schools in Waldorf · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 48.9%
- free-lunch eligible
C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School ranks #4 of 12 schools in Waldorf, MD.
School address
District: Charles County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240027000380 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.9%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School
C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Waldorf, Maryland, enrolling 598 students.
At 14.2:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 48.9% lands close to the Maryland typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 598 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 322 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #175.
Its student body is led by African American (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 598 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Waldorf's public schools, it stands alongside William a. Diggs Elementary School (876 students): C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.2:1 vs 18.6:1).
Charles County Public Schools also operates North Point High School (1,960 students) and St. Charles High School (1,617 students) alongside C. Paul Barnhart Elementary 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 C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School compares
C. Paul Barnhart Elementary 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 | 14.2:1 | ▼ 2% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.9% | ▼ 0% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 598 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
598
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 46% in Maryland - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.2%
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
$16,671
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 598 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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 68.2%
Hispanic or Latino 17.4%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 3.2%
White 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 68.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.6, C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charles County Public Schools, which includes C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School.
$16,671
Per student
-18%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.0%
State 44.3%
Federal 10.7%
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 C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Point High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. Charles High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Stone High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Plata High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westlake High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,960
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,617
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,230
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,217
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,216
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Waldorf
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
William a. Diggs Elementary School
Standard public school
876 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Arthur Middleton Elementary School
Standard public school
774 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Berry Elementary School
Standard public school
726 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School
Standard public school
661 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
William B. Wade Elementary School
Standard public school
651 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
J. P. Ryon Elementary School
Standard public school
640 students 15.2:1 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 (~598 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Charles 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 C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School
How many students attend C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School?
C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School has 598 students enrolled. It is a public school in Waldorf, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School is 14.2:1, which is 2% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 10% 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 C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School?
48.9% of students at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School is African American at 68.2% of enrollment, in Waldorf, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School?
C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School rank among schools in Waldorf?
By Resource Investment Index, C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School ranks #4 of 12 schools in Waldorf, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Waldorf on the city page.
Is C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School a good school?
C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School earns 39/100 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 Charles County Public Schools?
Besides C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School, Charles County Public Schools also operates North Point High School (1,960 students), St. Charles High School (1,617 students), and Thomas Stone High School (1,230 students). See the Charles 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.