Enrollment
626
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Waldorf, MD
Mary B. Neal Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mary B. Neal Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240027001656
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mary B. Neal Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #1 of 12
- schools in Waldorf · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 39.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Mary B. Neal Elementary School has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mary B. Neal Elementary School ranks #1 of 12 schools in Waldorf, MD.
School address
District: Charles County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240027001656 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.6%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mary B. Neal Elementary School compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mary B. Neal Elementary School
Mary B. Neal Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Waldorf, Maryland, enrolling 626 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 39.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 626 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 288 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #87.
Its student body is led by African American (76%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 313 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Waldorf's public schools, it stands alongside William a. Diggs Elementary School (876 students): Mary B. Neal Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.6:1 vs 18.6:1).
Charles County Public Schools also operates North Point High School (1,960 students) and St. Charles High School (1,617 students) alongside Mary B. Neal Elementary 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 Mary B. Neal Elementary School compares
Mary B. Neal Elementary 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 6% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.6% | ▼ 19% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 626 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
626
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 37% in Maryland - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.4%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 313 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 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 75.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 3.8%
White 3.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 75.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.0, Mary B. Neal Elementary School is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charles County Public Schools, which includes Mary B. Neal Elementary 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 Mary B. Neal Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Point High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. Charles High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Stone High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Plata High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westlake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mary B. Neal Elementary 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
- 1,217
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,216
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Waldorf
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
William a. Diggs Elementary School
Standard public school
876 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Arthur Middleton Elementary School
Standard public school
774 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Berry Elementary School
Standard public school
726 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School
Standard public school
661 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
William B. Wade Elementary School
Standard public school
651 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
J. P. Ryon Elementary School
Standard public school
640 students 15.2:1 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 (~626 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mary B. Neal Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mary B. Neal Elementary 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 Mary B. Neal Elementary School
How many students attend Mary B. Neal Elementary School?
Mary B. Neal Elementary School has 626 students enrolled. It is a public school in Waldorf, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mary B. Neal Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mary B. Neal Elementary School is 13.6:1, which is 6% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 13% 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 Mary B. Neal Elementary School?
39.6% of students at Mary B. Neal Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mary B. Neal Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mary B. Neal Elementary School is African American at 75.7% of enrollment, in Waldorf, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mary B. Neal Elementary School?
Mary B. Neal Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Mary B. Neal Elementary School rank among schools in Waldorf?
By Resource Investment Index, Mary B. Neal Elementary School ranks #1 of 12 schools in Waldorf, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Waldorf on the city page.
Is Mary B. Neal Elementary School a good school?
Mary B. Neal Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. 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 Mary B. Neal Elementary 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.