Enrollment
345
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Capitol Heights, MD
H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center
Federal NCES profile for H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240051001053
👥 S:T ratio 67
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of Maryland schools.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Capitol Heights · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.2:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 54.2%
- free-lunch eligible
H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center has class sizes smaller than 96% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center ranks #2 of 5 schools in Capitol Heights, MD.
School address
District: Prince George's County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240051001053 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.2:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-43% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.2%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center
H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Capitol Heights, Maryland, enrolling 345 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.2:1, H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center is leaner than roughly 96% of Maryland schools and 43% under the state's 14.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 54.2% lands close to the Maryland typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 345 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 210 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #85.
Its student body is led by African American (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 345 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Among Capitol Heights's public schools, it stands alongside William W. Hall Academy (444 students): H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.2:1 vs 11.4:1).
Prince George's County Public Schools also operates High Point High (3,012 students) and Charles Herbert Flowers High (2,712 students) alongside H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center.
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 H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center compares
H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.2:1 | ▼ 43% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.2% | ▲ 11% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 345 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.2:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
345
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
8.2:1
students per teacher
- 43% below state mean
Top 4% in Maryland - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$19,234
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 345 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
African American 79.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.2%
Two or More 3.5%
Asian 1.2%
White 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 79.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.8, H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Prince George's County Public Schools, which includes H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center.
$19,234
Per student
-6%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.8%
State 51.1%
Federal 12.1%
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 H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Point High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Charles Herbert Flowers High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parkdale High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bowie High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eleanor Roosevelt High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,012
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,712
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,588
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 2,580
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,544
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Capitol Heights
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
William W. Hall Academy
Standard public school
444 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Carmody Hills Elementary
Standard public school
389 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
John H. Bayne Elementary
Standard public school
339 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Capitol Heights Elementary
Standard public school
317 students 11.7:1 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 (~345 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center's federal record.
- Compare H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center against another school. Compare schools
- Prince George'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 H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center
How many students attend H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center?
H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center has 345 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Capitol Heights, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center?
The student-teacher ratio at H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center is 8.2:1, which is 43% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 48% 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 H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center?
54.2% of students at H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center?
The largest demographic group at H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center is African American at 79.4% of enrollment, in Capitol Heights, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center?
H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center rank among schools in Capitol Heights?
By Resource Investment Index, H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center ranks #2 of 5 schools in Capitol Heights, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Capitol Heights on the city page.
Is H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center a good school?
H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% 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 Prince George's County Public Schools?
Besides H. W. Wheatley Early Childhood Center, Prince George's County Public Schools also operates High Point High (3,012 students), Charles Herbert Flowers High (2,712 students), and Parkdale High (2,588 students). See the Prince George's County Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Compare schools
Side-by-side comparison tool
Schools in Maryland
All public schools in Maryland
Prince George's County Public Schools
All schools in this district
Schools in Capitol Heights
All schools in this city
School districts
Ranked by enrollment & spending
Rankings
Best schools by state & type
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.