Enrollment
472
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Silver Spring, MD
Forest Knolls Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Forest Knolls Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240048000832
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forest Knolls Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Maryland schools.
- #7 of 31
- schools in Silver Spring · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 35.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Forest Knolls Elementary has class sizes smaller than 78% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Knolls Elementary ranks #7 of 31 schools in Silver Spring, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048000832 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.6%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Forest Knolls Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Forest Knolls Elementary
Forest Knolls Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Silver Spring, Maryland, enrolling 472 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 472 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 245 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #85.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and White (28%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 472 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Silver Spring's public schools, it stands alongside Joann Leleck at Broad Acres Elementary (756 students): Forest Knolls Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.4:1 vs 10.8:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Forest Knolls 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 Forest Knolls Elementary compares
Forest Knolls 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 | 12.4:1 | ▼ 14% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.6% | ▼ 27% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 472 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
472
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.6%
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
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 22% in Maryland - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
16.9%
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 472 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
Hispanic or Latino 40.3%
White 28.2%
African American 20.1%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 5.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.1, Forest Knolls 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 Forest Knolls 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 Forest Knolls Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Similar 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Forest Knolls 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 Silver Spring
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Joann Leleck at Broad Acres Elementary
Standard public school
756 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Arcola Elementary
Standard public school
747 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Burnt Mills Elementary
Standard public school
747 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Greencastle Elementary
Standard public school
722 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Sargent Shriver Elementary
Standard public school
697 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Galway Elementary
Standard public school
695 students 11.4:1 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 (~472 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Forest Knolls Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Forest Knolls 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 Forest Knolls Elementary
How many students attend Forest Knolls Elementary?
Forest Knolls Elementary has 472 students enrolled. It is a public school in Silver Spring, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forest Knolls Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Forest Knolls Elementary is 12.4:1, which is 14% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 21% 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 Forest Knolls Elementary?
35.6% of students at Forest Knolls Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forest Knolls Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Forest Knolls Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 40.3% of enrollment, in Silver Spring, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forest Knolls Elementary?
Forest Knolls Elementary 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 Forest Knolls Elementary rank among schools in Silver Spring?
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Knolls Elementary ranks #7 of 31 schools in Silver Spring, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Silver Spring on the city page.
Is Forest Knolls Elementary a good school?
Forest Knolls Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% 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 Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Forest Knolls 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.