Enrollment
625
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Laurel, MD
Laurel Woods Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Laurel Woods Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240042000761
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Laurel Woods Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Maryland schools.
- #5 of 12
- schools in Laurel · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.4:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 56.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Laurel Woods Elementary has class sizes smaller than 85% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Laurel Woods Elementary ranks #5 of 12 schools in Laurel, MD.
School address
District: Howard County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240042000761 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.4:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.3%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Laurel Woods Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Laurel Woods Elementary
Laurel Woods Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Laurel, Maryland, enrolling 625 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.4:1, Laurel Woods Elementary is leaner than roughly 85% of Maryland schools and 21% under the state's 14.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.3% lands close to the Maryland typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 625 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 328 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #88.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 417 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Laurel's public schools, it stands alongside Chesapeake Math and It Public Charter (1,681 students): Laurel Woods Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.4:1 vs 18.5:1).
Howard County Public Schools also operates Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students) and Reservoir High (1,597 students) alongside Laurel Woods 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 Laurel Woods Elementary compares
Laurel Woods 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 | 11.4:1 | ▼ 21% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.3% | ▲ 15% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 625 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
625
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% 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
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 15% in Maryland - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
28.2%
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
$17,971
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 417 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 44.3%
Hispanic or Latino 35.4%
Asian 8.5%
White 6.7%
Two or More 5.1%
Largest group: African American at 44.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.4, Laurel Woods Elementary is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Howard County Public Schools, which includes Laurel Woods Elementary.
$17,971
Per student
-12%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.7%
State 29.5%
Federal 7.7%
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 Laurel Woods Elementary 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 Laurel Woods Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- 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 other schools in Laurel
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Chesapeake Math and It Public Charter
Standard public school
1,681 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Gorman Crossing Elementary
Standard public school
750 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Forest Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
659 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Scotchtown Hills Elementary
Standard public school
589 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Montpelier Elementary
Standard public school
573 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Brock Bridge Elementary
Standard public school
514 students 14.7:1 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 (~625 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Laurel Woods Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Laurel Woods Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Howard 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 Laurel Woods Elementary
How many students attend Laurel Woods Elementary?
Laurel Woods Elementary has 625 students enrolled. It is a public school in Laurel, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Laurel Woods Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Laurel Woods Elementary is 11.4:1, which is 21% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 27% 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 Laurel Woods Elementary?
56.3% of students at Laurel Woods Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Laurel Woods Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Laurel Woods Elementary is African American at 44.3% of enrollment, in Laurel, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Laurel Woods Elementary?
Laurel Woods Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Laurel Woods Elementary rank among schools in Laurel?
By Resource Investment Index, Laurel Woods Elementary ranks #5 of 12 schools in Laurel, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Laurel on the city page.
Is Laurel Woods Elementary a good school?
Laurel Woods Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% 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 Howard County Public Schools?
Besides Laurel Woods Elementary, 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.
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.