Enrollment
588
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Baltimore, MD
James Mchenry Elementary/Middle
Federal NCES profile for James Mchenry Elementary/Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240009000253
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Mchenry Elementary/Middle earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #148 of 177
- schools in Baltimore · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 86.4%
- free-lunch eligible
James Mchenry Elementary/Middle has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Mchenry Elementary/Middle ranks #148 of 177 schools in Baltimore, MD.
School address
District: Baltimore City Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240009000253 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.4%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+76% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Mchenry Elementary/Middle compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Mchenry Elementary/Middle
James Mchenry Elementary/Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Baltimore, Maryland, enrolling 588 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 86.4% of students qualify for free meals, 76% above the Maryland average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 588 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 1,382 Maryland schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 158 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #142, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1176 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 78.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Baltimore's public schools, it stands alongside Roland Park Elementary/Middle (1,371 students): James Mchenry Elementary/Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.5:1 vs 19.6:1).
Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students) and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 students) alongside James Mchenry Elementary/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 James Mchenry Elementary/Middle compares
James Mchenry Elementary/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 | 15.5:1 | ▲ 7% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.4% | ▲ 76% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 588 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
588
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 76% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 64% in Maryland - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
78.1%
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
$18,272
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 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 90.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%
White 2.0%
Two or More 2.0%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 90.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.3, James Mchenry Elementary/Middle is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Baltimore City Public Schools, which includes James Mchenry Elementary/Middle.
$18,272
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.3%
State 51.4%
Federal 15.3%
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 James Mchenry Elementary/Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Baltimore Polytechnic Institute | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baltimore City College | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kipp Harmony Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roland Park Elementary/Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Mchenry Elementary/Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,714
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,632
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,399
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,371
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Baltimore
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Roland Park Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
1,371 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Lakeland Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
1,070 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
John Ruhrah Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
1,061 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Academy for College and Career Exploration
Standard public school
967 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Hampstead Hill Academy
Standard public school
933 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
The Belair-Edison School
Standard public school
911 students 13.6:1 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 (~588 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Mchenry Elementary/Middle's federal record.
- Compare James Mchenry Elementary/Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Baltimore City 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 James Mchenry Elementary/Middle
How many students attend James Mchenry Elementary/Middle?
James Mchenry Elementary/Middle has 588 students enrolled. It is a public school in Baltimore, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Mchenry Elementary/Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at James Mchenry Elementary/Middle is 15.5:1, which is 7% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Mchenry Elementary/Middle?
86.4% of students at James Mchenry Elementary/Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Mchenry Elementary/Middle?
The largest demographic group at James Mchenry Elementary/Middle is African American at 90.8% of enrollment, in Baltimore, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Mchenry Elementary/Middle?
James Mchenry Elementary/Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 James Mchenry Elementary/Middle rank among schools in Baltimore?
By Resource Investment Index, James Mchenry Elementary/Middle ranks #148 of 177 schools in Baltimore, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Baltimore on the city page.
Is James Mchenry Elementary/Middle a good school?
James Mchenry Elementary/Middle earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Baltimore City Public Schools?
Besides James Mchenry Elementary/Middle, Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students), Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 students), and Baltimore City College (1,470 students). See the Baltimore City 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.