Enrollment
828
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Gaithersburg, MD
Forest Oak Middle
Federal NCES profile for Forest Oak Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 240048000644
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forest Oak Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #4 of 5
- middle schools in Gaithersburg · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.1:1
- students per teacher
- 65.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Forest Oak Middle has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Oak Middle ranks #4 of 5 middle schools in Gaithersburg, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048000644 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.7%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Forest Oak Middle compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Forest Oak Middle
Forest Oak Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Gaithersburg, Maryland, enrolling 828 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 828 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.
Among 239 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #11, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (62%) and African American (24%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 207 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Gaithersburg's middle schools, it stands alongside Lakelands Park Middle (993 students): Forest Oak Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 13.6:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Forest Oak 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 Forest Oak Middle compares
Forest Oak 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 10% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.7% | ▲ 34% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 828 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
828
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 31% in Maryland - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.3%
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
$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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 207 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 52 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.8 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 62.0%
African American 23.7%
White 7.0%
Asian 5.2%
Two or More 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 62.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.1, Forest Oak Middle 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 Oak Middle.
$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 Oak Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Forest Oak Middle'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 middle schools in Gaithersburg
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Lakelands Park Middle
Standard public school
993 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Gaithersburg Middle
Standard public school
869 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Ridgeview Middle
Standard public school
722 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Shady Grove Middle
Standard public school
514 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
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 (~828 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Forest Oak Middle's federal record.
- Compare Forest Oak Middle 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 Oak Middle
How many students attend Forest Oak Middle?
Forest Oak Middle has 828 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Gaithersburg, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forest Oak Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Forest Oak Middle is 13.1:1, which is 10% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 17% 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 Oak Middle?
65.7% of students at Forest Oak Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forest Oak Middle?
The largest demographic group at Forest Oak Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 62.0% of enrollment, in Gaithersburg, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forest Oak Middle?
Forest Oak Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (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 Forest Oak Middle rank among middle schools in Gaithersburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Oak Middle ranks #4 of 5 middle schools in Gaithersburg, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Gaithersburg on the city page.
Is Forest Oak Middle a good school?
Forest Oak Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. 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 Oak Middle, 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.