Enrollment
835
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lexington Park, MD
Esperanza Middle
Federal NCES profile for Esperanza Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 240060001220
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Esperanza Middle earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Maryland schools.
- #2 of 6
- public schools in Lexington Park · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 35.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Esperanza Middle has class sizes larger than 71% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Esperanza Middle ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Lexington Park, MD.
School address
District: St. Mary's County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240060001220 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.9%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Esperanza Middle compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Esperanza Middle
Esperanza Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Lexington Park, Maryland, enrolling 835 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 835 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 221 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #70.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 278 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding St. Mary's County Public Schools spends $16,038 per pupil, 22% below the Maryland average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Lexington Park's middle schools, it stands alongside Spring Ridge Middle (913 students): Esperanza Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 15:1).
St. Mary's County Public Schools also operates Leonardtown High (2,118 students) and Great Mills High (1,697 students) alongside Esperanza Middle.
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 Esperanza Middle compares
Esperanza Middle on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▲ 11% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.9% | ▼ 27% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 835 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
835
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 71% in Maryland - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.7%
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
$16,038
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 278 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 123 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.7 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 48.4%
African American 27.2%
Two or More 10.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Asian 4.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 48.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.0, Esperanza Middle is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for St. Mary's County Public Schools, which includes Esperanza Middle.
$16,038
Per student
-22%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.1%
State 41.2%
Federal 13.6%
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 Esperanza Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leonardtown High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Great Mills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chopticon High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Leonardtown Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spring Ridge Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Esperanza Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,118
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,697
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,526
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 969
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar middle schools in Lexington Park
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~835 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Esperanza Middle's federal record.
- Compare Esperanza Middle against another school. Compare schools
- St. Mary's 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 Esperanza Middle
How many students attend Esperanza Middle?
Esperanza Middle has 835 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lexington Park, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Esperanza Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Esperanza Middle is 16.1:1, which is 11% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Esperanza Middle?
35.9% of students at Esperanza Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Esperanza Middle?
The largest demographic group at Esperanza Middle is White at 48.4% of enrollment, in Lexington Park, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Esperanza Middle?
Esperanza Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Esperanza Middle rank among public schools in Lexington Park?
By Resource Investment Index, Esperanza Middle ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Lexington Park, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Lexington Park on the city page.
Is Esperanza Middle a good school?
Esperanza Middle earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of 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 St. Mary's County Public Schools?
Besides Esperanza Middle, St. Mary's County Public Schools also operates Leonardtown High (2,118 students), Great Mills High (1,697 students), and Chopticon High (1,526 students). See the St. Mary's 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.