Enrollment
671
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · La Plata, MD
Milton M. Somers Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Milton M. Somers Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 240027000601
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 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
Milton M. Somers Middle School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in La Plata · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.2:1
- students per teacher
- 32.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Milton M. Somers Middle School has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Milton M. Somers Middle School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in La Plata, MD.
School address
District: Charles County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240027000601 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.2:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.1%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Milton M. Somers Middle School compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Milton M. Somers Middle School
Milton M. Somers Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in La Plata, Maryland, enrolling 671 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 671 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 1,382 Maryland schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 270 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #260, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (49%) and White (28%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 671 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 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 Milton M. Somers Middle 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 Milton M. Somers Middle School compares
Milton M. Somers Middle 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 | 13.2:1 | ▼ 9% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.1% | ▼ 34% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 671 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
671
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
13.2:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 32% in Maryland - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
44.1%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 671 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 109 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
African American 49.3%
White 28.2%
Hispanic or Latino 10.7%
Two or More 6.4%
Asian 4.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 49.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.9, Milton M. Somers Middle School is more 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 Milton M. Somers Middle 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 Milton M. Somers Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Point High School | Larger | Similar 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 Milton M. Somers Middle 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 middle 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 (~671 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Milton M. Somers Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Milton M. Somers Middle 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 Milton M. Somers Middle School
How many students attend Milton M. Somers Middle School?
Milton M. Somers Middle School has 671 students enrolled. It is a middle school in La Plata, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Milton M. Somers Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Milton M. Somers Middle School is 13.2:1, which is 9% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 16% 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 Milton M. Somers Middle School?
32.1% of students at Milton M. Somers Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Milton M. Somers Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Milton M. Somers Middle School is African American at 49.3% of enrollment, in La Plata, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Milton M. Somers Middle School?
Milton M. Somers Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Milton M. Somers Middle School rank among public schools in La Plata?
By Resource Investment Index, Milton M. Somers Middle School ranks #4 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 Milton M. Somers Middle School a good school?
Milton M. Somers Middle School earns 29/100 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 Milton M. Somers Middle 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.