- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Columbia, MD
Harpers Choice Middle
Federal NCES profile for Harpers Choice Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 240042000737
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harpers Choice Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Maryland schools.
- #2 of 4
- middle schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.7:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 46.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Harpers Choice Middle has class sizes smaller than 90% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harpers Choice Middle ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Columbia, MD.
School address
District: Howard County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240042000737 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-28 students YoY
Harpers Choice Middle shrank from 497 students in 2022-23 to 469 in 2023-24 (-5.6%).
Teacher FTE lost 44.5 → 41.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-28 students YoY 240042000737 · Columbia, MD Middle · SMALL · TRAD
471 enr · 10.7:1 · 46.3% lunch · RII 45
Nearest enrollment peer: Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students)
Harpers Choice Middle shrank from 497 students in 2022-23 to 469 in 2023-24 (-5.6%). Teacher FTE lost 44.5 → 41.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Maryland schools → · Find another →
Harpers Choice Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Marriotts Ridg
Marriotts Ridge High
1,741 students
- Reservoir High
Reservoir High
1,597 students
- Atholton High
Atholton High
1,540 students
- Howard High
Howard High
1,493 students
- Mount Hebron H
Mount Hebron High
1,455 students
- This school 471
Harpers Choice Middle
471 students
What this shows Harpers Choice Middle reports 471 students on the CCD universe file.
How Harpers Choice Middle compares
Harpers Choice Middle is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.7:1 | ▼ 26% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.3% | ▼ 6% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 471 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.7:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
471
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
46.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.7:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 10% in Maryland - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
42.9%
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
$19,256
per pupil, district-wide
- above Maryland avg of $18,753
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 236 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 70 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 43.3%
Hispanic or Latino 23.1%
White 18.5%
Asian 8.1%
Two or More 6.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 43.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.4, Harpers Choice Middle is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Howard County Public Schools reports $19,256 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Harpers Choice Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriotts Ridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reservoir High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Atholton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Howard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mount Hebron High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harpers Choice Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,597
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,540
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,493
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,455
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar middle schools in Columbia
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~471 students)
Frequently asked questions about Harpers Choice Middle
How many students attend Harpers Choice Middle?
Harpers Choice Middle has 471 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Columbia, MD. CCD year-over-year: 497 (2022-23) → 469 (2023-24), down 28.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harpers Choice Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Harpers Choice Middle is 10.7:1, which is 26% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 32% 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 Harpers Choice Middle?
46.3% of students at Harpers Choice Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harpers Choice Middle?
The largest demographic group at Harpers Choice Middle is African American at 43.3% of enrollment, in Columbia, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harpers Choice Middle?
Harpers Choice Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Harpers Choice Middle rank among middle schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Harpers Choice Middle ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Columbia, 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 Columbia on the city page.
What other schools are in Howard County Public Schools?
Besides Harpers Choice Middle, Howard County Public Schools also operates Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students), Reservoir High (1,597 students), and Atholton High (1,540 students). See the Howard County Public Schools district page for the complete list.