Enrollment
518
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Westminster, MD
Friendship Valley Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Friendship Valley Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240021000052
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Friendship Valley Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #3 of 8
- schools in Westminster · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 22.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Friendship Valley Elementary has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Friendship Valley Elementary ranks #3 of 8 schools in Westminster, MD.
School address
District: Carroll County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240021000052 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.1%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Friendship Valley Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Friendship Valley Elementary
Friendship Valley Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Westminster, Maryland, enrolling 518 students.
At 14.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Maryland median, within a few percentage points of the 14.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 518 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.
Among 257 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #184, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 518 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Carroll County Public Schools spends $15,757 per pupil, 23% below the Maryland average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Westminster's public schools, it stands alongside Winfield Elementary (724 students): Friendship Valley Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.8:1 vs 13.9:1).
Carroll County Public Schools also operates Westminster High (1,477 students) and Manchester Valley High (1,339 students) alongside Friendship Valley 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 Friendship Valley Elementary compares
Friendship Valley 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 | 14.8:1 | ▲ 2% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.1% | ▼ 55% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 518 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
518
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 55% in Maryland - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,757
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 518 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
White 75.7%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%
African American 5.8%
Two or More 3.3%
Asian 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 75.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.7, Friendship Valley Elementary is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Carroll County Public Schools, which includes Friendship Valley Elementary.
$15,757
Per student
-23%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.2%
State 37.6%
Federal 8.2%
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 Friendship Valley Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Manchester Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winters Mill High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Century High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Friendship Valley Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,477
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,339
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,156
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,101
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,007
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Westminster
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Winfield Elementary
Standard public school
724 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Runnymede Elementary
Standard public school
625 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Cranberry Station Elementary
Standard public school
593 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
William Winchester Elementary
Standard public school
587 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Westminster Elementary
Standard public school
564 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Robert Moton Elementary
Standard public school
440 students 8.5:1 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 (~518 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Friendship Valley Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Friendship Valley Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Carroll 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 Friendship Valley Elementary
How many students attend Friendship Valley Elementary?
Friendship Valley Elementary has 518 students enrolled. It is a public school in Westminster, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Friendship Valley Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Friendship Valley Elementary is 14.8:1, which is 2% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Friendship Valley Elementary?
22.1% of students at Friendship Valley Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Friendship Valley Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Friendship Valley Elementary is White at 75.7% of enrollment, in Westminster, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Friendship Valley Elementary?
Friendship Valley Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Friendship Valley Elementary rank among schools in Westminster?
By Resource Investment Index, Friendship Valley Elementary ranks #3 of 8 schools in Westminster, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Westminster on the city page.
Is Friendship Valley Elementary a good school?
Friendship Valley Elementary earns 41/100 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 Carroll County Public Schools?
Besides Friendship Valley Elementary, Carroll County Public Schools also operates Westminster High (1,477 students), Manchester Valley High (1,339 students), and Winters Mill High (1,156 students). See the Carroll 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.