Enrollment
506
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Rockville, MD
College Gardens Elementary
Federal NCES profile for College Gardens Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240048000810
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
College Gardens Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #11 of 14
- schools in Rockville · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 31.2%
- free-lunch eligible
College Gardens Elementary has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, College Gardens Elementary ranks #11 of 14 schools in Rockville, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048000810 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.2%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How College Gardens Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at College Gardens Elementary
College Gardens Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Rockville, Maryland, enrolling 506 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 31.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 506 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 266 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #180.
Its student body is led by African American (29%) and White (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 506 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Rockville's public schools, it stands alongside Bayard Rustin Elementary (757 students): College Gardens Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.3:1 vs 15.1:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside College Gardens 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 College Gardens Elementary compares
College Gardens 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 | 15.3:1 | ▲ 6% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.2% | ▼ 36% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 506 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
506
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 61% in Maryland - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.0%
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 506 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
African American 28.5%
White 23.9%
Hispanic or Latino 21.5%
Asian 17.0%
Two or More 9.1%
Largest group: African American at 28.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.8, College Gardens 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 College Gardens 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 College Gardens 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to College Gardens 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 Rockville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Bayard Rustin Elementary
Standard public school
757 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Luxmanor Elementary
Standard public school
684 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Lucy V. Barnsley Elementary
Standard public school
621 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Maryvale Elementary
Standard public school
617 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Wheaton Woods Elementary
Standard public school
556 students 10.7:1 students per teacher
Mill Creek Towne Elementary
Standard public school
528 students 13.9:1 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 (~506 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on College Gardens Elementary's federal record.
- Compare College Gardens 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 College Gardens Elementary
How many students attend College Gardens Elementary?
College Gardens Elementary has 506 students enrolled. It is a public school in Rockville, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at College Gardens Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at College Gardens Elementary is 15.3:1, which is 6% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at College Gardens Elementary?
31.2% of students at College Gardens Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of College Gardens Elementary?
The largest demographic group at College Gardens Elementary is African American at 28.5% of enrollment, in Rockville, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for College Gardens Elementary?
College Gardens Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 College Gardens Elementary rank among schools in Rockville?
By Resource Investment Index, College Gardens Elementary ranks #11 of 14 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 schools in Rockville on the city page.
Is College Gardens Elementary a good school?
College Gardens Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. 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 College Gardens 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.