Enrollment
603
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gaithersburg, MD
Gaithersburg Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Gaithersburg Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240048000836
👥 S:T ratio 64
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gaithersburg Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of Maryland schools.
- #4 of 16
- schools in Gaithersburg · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.9:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 78.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Gaithersburg Elementary has class sizes smaller than 95% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gaithersburg Elementary ranks #4 of 16 schools in Gaithersburg, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048000836 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
68.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.9:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.4%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gaithersburg Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gaithersburg Elementary
Gaithersburg Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Gaithersburg, Maryland, enrolling 603 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.9:1, Gaithersburg Elementary is leaner than roughly 95% of Maryland schools and 39% under the state's 14.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 78.4% of students qualify for free meals, 60% above the Maryland average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 603 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 249 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #37.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (76%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 302 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 62.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Gaithersburg's public schools, it stands alongside South Lake Elementary (746 students): Gaithersburg Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.9:1 vs 11.7:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Gaithersburg 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 Gaithersburg Elementary compares
Gaithersburg 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 | 8.9:1 | ▼ 39% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.4% | ▲ 60% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 603 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.9:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
603
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% above the Maryland average of 49.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.9:1
students per teacher
- 39% below state mean
Top 5% in Maryland - lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
62.0%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 302 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 75.6%
African American 15.8%
Two or More 3.6%
Asian 3.0%
White 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 75.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.1, Gaithersburg Elementary is less 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 Gaithersburg 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 Gaithersburg Elementary 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gaithersburg 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 Gaithersburg
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Lake Elementary
Standard public school
746 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Whetstone Elementary
Standard public school
711 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Rachel Carson Elementary
Standard public school
671 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Brown Station Elementary
Standard public school
572 students 9.9:1 students per teacher
Harriet R. Tubman Elementary
Standard public school
571 students 13:1 students per teacher
Rosemont Elementary
Standard public school
564 students 10.8:1 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 (~603 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gaithersburg Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Gaithersburg 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 Gaithersburg Elementary
How many students attend Gaithersburg Elementary?
Gaithersburg Elementary has 603 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gaithersburg, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gaithersburg Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Gaithersburg Elementary is 8.9:1, which is 39% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 43% 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 Gaithersburg Elementary?
78.4% of students at Gaithersburg Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gaithersburg Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Gaithersburg Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 75.6% of enrollment, in Gaithersburg, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gaithersburg Elementary?
Gaithersburg Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Gaithersburg Elementary rank among schools in Gaithersburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Gaithersburg Elementary ranks #4 of 16 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 schools in Gaithersburg on the city page.
Is Gaithersburg Elementary a good school?
Gaithersburg Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% 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 Gaithersburg 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.