Enrollment
1,217
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · La Plata, MD
La Plata High School
Federal NCES profile for La Plata High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 240027000596
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Plata High School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Maryland schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in La Plata · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.6:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 21.2%
- free-lunch eligible
La Plata High School has class sizes larger than 86% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Plata High School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in La Plata, MD.
School address
District: Charles County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240027000596 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
69.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.2%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Plata High School compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Plata High School
La Plata High School is a large high school in La Plata, Maryland, enrolling 1,217 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.6:1 is larger than about 86% of Maryland schools and 21% above the 14.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 21.2% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Maryland, bigger than 91% of state schools at 1,217 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Among 121 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #109, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 23 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 304 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Charles County Public Schools also operates North Point High School (1,960 students) and St. Charles High School (1,617 students) alongside La Plata High School.
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 La Plata High School compares
La Plata High School on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.6:1 | ▲ 21% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.2% | ▼ 57% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,217 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,217
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% 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
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 86% in Maryland - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.6%
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
$16,671
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 304 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 99 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 52.7%
African American 26.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
Two or More 7.9%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 52.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.5, La Plata High School is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 23
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charles County Public Schools, which includes La Plata High School.
$16,671
Per student
-18%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.0%
State 44.3%
Federal 10.7%
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 La Plata High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Point High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| St. Charles High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Stone High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westlake High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Maurice J. Mcdonough High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Plata High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,960
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,617
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,230
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,216
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,163
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar high 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 (~1,217 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Plata High School's federal record.
- Compare La Plata High School against another school. Compare schools
- Charles 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 La Plata High School
How many students attend La Plata High School?
La Plata High School has 1,217 students enrolled. It is a high school in La Plata, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Plata High School?
The student-teacher ratio at La Plata High School is 17.6:1, which is 21% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Plata High School?
21.2% of students at La Plata High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Plata High School?
The largest demographic group at La Plata High School is White at 52.7% of enrollment, in La Plata, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Plata High School?
La Plata High School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does La Plata High School rank among public schools in La Plata?
By Resource Investment Index, La Plata High School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in La Plata, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in La Plata on the city page.
Is La Plata High School a good school?
La Plata High School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% 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 Charles County Public Schools?
Besides La Plata High School, Charles County Public Schools also operates North Point High School (1,960 students), St. Charles High School (1,617 students), and Thomas Stone High School (1,230 students). See the Charles 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.