Enrollment
68
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Baltimore, MD
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies
Federal NCES profile for Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 240012000436
👥 S:T ratio 79
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Maryland schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Maryland.
- #1 of 42
- high schools in Baltimore · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 5.2:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 73.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies has class sizes smaller than 97% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies ranks #1 of 42 high schools in Baltimore, MD.
School address
District: Baltimore County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240012000436 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
5.2:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-64% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.3%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is a higher-need, small high school in Baltimore, Maryland, enrolling 68 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 5.2:1, Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is leaner than roughly 97% of Maryland schools and 64% under the state's 14.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.3% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of Maryland schools, with 68 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 100% of the 1,382 Maryland schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is led by African American (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 35/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 68 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Baltimore's high schools, it stands alongside Dundalk High (2,087 students): Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (5.2:1 vs 15.5:1).
Baltimore County Public Schools also operates Dundalk High (2,087 students) and Perry Hall High (2,012 students) alongside Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies.
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 Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies compares
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 5.2:1 | ▼ 64% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.3% | ▲ 50% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 68 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
5.2:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
68
Bigger than 7% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
5.2:1
students per teacher
- 64% below state mean
Top 3% in Maryland - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$16,538
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 68 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 79.4%
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
White 5.9%
Two or More 4.4%
Largest group: African American at 79.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.4, Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Baltimore County Public Schools, which includes Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies.
$16,538
Per student
-19%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.3%
State 40.7%
Federal 12.0%
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 Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dundalk High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Perry Hall High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodlawn High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenwood High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dulaney High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,087
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,922
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,900
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,889
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar high schools in Baltimore
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Dundalk High
Standard public school
2,087 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Perry Hall High
Standard public school
2,012 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Woodlawn High
Standard public school
1,922 students 17:1 students per teacher
Kenwood High
Standard public school
1,900 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Parkville High
Standard public school
1,877 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Catonsville High
Standard public school
1,735 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~68 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~5.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies's federal record.
- Compare Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies against another school. Compare schools
- Baltimore 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 Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies
How many students attend Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies?
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies has 68 students enrolled. It is a high school in Baltimore, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies?
The student-teacher ratio at Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is 5.2:1, which is 64% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 67% 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 Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies?
73.3% of students at Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies?
The largest demographic group at Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is African American at 79.4% of enrollment, in Baltimore, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies?
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies rank among high schools in Baltimore?
By Resource Investment Index, Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies ranks #1 of 42 high schools in Baltimore, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Baltimore on the city page.
Is Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies a good school?
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Maryland schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Maryland. 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 Baltimore County Public Schools?
Besides Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools also operates Dundalk High (2,087 students), Perry Hall High (2,012 students), and Woodlawn High (1,922 students). See the Baltimore 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.