Enrollment
531
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Upper Marlboro, MD
Melwood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Melwood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 240051001106
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Melwood Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Maryland schools.
- #5 of 5
- elementary schools in Upper Marlboro · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.3:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 55.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Melwood Elementary has class sizes larger than 91% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Melwood Elementary ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Upper Marlboro, MD.
School address
District: Prince George's County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240051001106 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.3%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Melwood Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Melwood Elementary
Melwood Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, enrolling 531 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.3:1 is larger than about 91% of Maryland schools and 26% above the 14.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 55.3% lands close to the Maryland typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 531 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Among 321 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #257, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 531 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Upper Marlboro's elementary schools, it stands alongside Perrywood Elementary (529 students): Melwood Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.3:1 vs 17.1:1).
Prince George's County Public Schools also operates High Point High (3,012 students) and Charles Herbert Flowers High (2,712 students) alongside Melwood 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 Melwood Elementary compares
Melwood 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 | 18.3:1 | ▲ 26% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.3% | ▲ 13% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 531 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
531
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 91% in Maryland - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.6%
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
$19,234
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 531 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 61.6%
Hispanic or Latino 31.3%
White 3.0%
Two or More 1.9%
Asian 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 61.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.1, Melwood Elementary is about as mixed as the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Prince George's County Public Schools, which includes Melwood Elementary.
$19,234
Per student
-6%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.8%
State 51.1%
Federal 12.1%
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 Melwood Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Point High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Charles Herbert Flowers High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parkdale High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bowie High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eleanor Roosevelt High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Melwood Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,012
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,712
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,588
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 2,580
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,544
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Upper Marlboro
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Perrywood Elementary
Standard public school
529 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Imagine Foundations at Leeland Pcs
Standard public school
480 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Mattaponi Elementary
Standard public school
391 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Phyllis E. Williams Elementary
Standard public school
326 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~531 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Melwood Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Melwood Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Prince George's 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 Melwood Elementary
How many students attend Melwood Elementary?
Melwood Elementary has 531 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Upper Marlboro, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Melwood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Melwood Elementary is 18.3:1, which is 26% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Melwood Elementary?
55.3% of students at Melwood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Melwood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Melwood Elementary is African American at 61.6% of enrollment, in Upper Marlboro, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Melwood Elementary?
Melwood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Melwood Elementary rank among elementary schools in Upper Marlboro?
By Resource Investment Index, Melwood Elementary ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Upper Marlboro, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Upper Marlboro on the city page.
Is Melwood Elementary a good school?
Melwood Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% 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 Prince George's County Public Schools?
Besides Melwood Elementary, Prince George's County Public Schools also operates High Point High (3,012 students), Charles Herbert Flowers High (2,712 students), and Parkdale High (2,588 students). See the Prince George's County Public Schools district page for the complete list.
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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.