Enrollment
358
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Rockville, MD
Candlewood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Candlewood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 240048000796
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Candlewood Elementary earns 52/100 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.
- #1 of 9
- elementary schools in Rockville · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.8:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 26.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Candlewood Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Candlewood Elementary ranks #1 of 9 elementary schools in Rockville, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048000796 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.4%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Candlewood Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Candlewood Elementary
Candlewood Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Rockville, Maryland, enrolling 358 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 26.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 358 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 151 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #32.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 358 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
15.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Rockville's elementary schools, it stands alongside Farmland Elementary (847 students): Candlewood Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 16.3:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Candlewood 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 Candlewood Elementary compares
Candlewood 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 | 26.4% | ▼ 46% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 358 | top 79% | - | - |
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.
358
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
15.9%
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 358 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 37.4%
Hispanic or Latino 25.7%
African American 15.1%
Asian 12.3%
Two or More 9.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 37.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.8, Candlewood 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 Candlewood 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 Candlewood Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Candlewood 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 elementary schools in Rockville
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Farmland Elementary
Standard public school
847 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Stonegate Elementary
Standard public school
565 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Flower Valley Elementary
Standard public school
524 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Fallsmead Elementary
Standard public school
512 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Lakewood Elementary
Standard public school
406 students 14:1 students per teacher
Meadow Hall Elementary
Standard public school
348 students 10.2:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~358 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Candlewood Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Candlewood 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 Candlewood Elementary
How many students attend Candlewood Elementary?
Candlewood Elementary has 358 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Rockville, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Candlewood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Candlewood 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 Candlewood Elementary?
26.4% of students at Candlewood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Candlewood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Candlewood Elementary is White at 37.4% of enrollment, in Rockville, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Candlewood Elementary?
Candlewood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 Candlewood Elementary rank among elementary schools in Rockville?
By Resource Investment Index, Candlewood Elementary ranks #1 of 9 elementary schools in Rockville, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Rockville on the city page.
Is Candlewood Elementary a good school?
Candlewood Elementary earns 52/100 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 Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Candlewood 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.