Enrollment
764
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ellicott City, MD
Northfield Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Northfield Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 240042000744
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northfield Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #3 of 5
- elementary schools in Ellicott City · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- students per teacher
- 14.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Northfield Elementary has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northfield Elementary ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Ellicott City, MD.
School address
District: Howard County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240042000744 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.3%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northfield Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northfield Elementary
Northfield Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Ellicott City, Maryland, enrolling 764 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.3% free-meal eligibility runs 71% below the Maryland average.
Enrollment of 764 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 187 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #87.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Asian (29%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 509 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Ellicott City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Manor Woods Elementary (697 students): Northfield Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.6:1 vs 14.2:1).
Howard County Public Schools also operates Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students) and Reservoir High (1,597 students) alongside Northfield 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 Northfield Elementary compares
Northfield 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 | 15.6:1 | ▲ 8% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.3% | ▼ 71% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 764 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
764
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 65% in Maryland - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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 509 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
White 42.1%
Asian 28.9%
Two or More 9.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
African American 9.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 42.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.2, Northfield 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 Northfield 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 Northfield Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriotts Ridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reservoir High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Atholton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Howard High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mount Hebron High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northfield 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 elementary schools in Ellicott City
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Manor Woods Elementary
Standard public school
697 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Hollifield Station Elementary
Standard public school
677 students 13:1 students per teacher
St. Johns Lane Elementary
Standard public school
636 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Triadelphia Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
619 students 14.4:1 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 (~764 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northfield Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Northfield 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 Northfield Elementary
How many students attend Northfield Elementary?
Northfield Elementary has 764 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ellicott City, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northfield Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Northfield Elementary is 15.6:1, which is 8% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northfield Elementary?
14.3% of students at Northfield Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northfield Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Northfield Elementary is White at 42.1% of enrollment, in Ellicott City, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northfield Elementary?
Northfield Elementary 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 Northfield Elementary rank among elementary schools in Ellicott City?
By Resource Investment Index, Northfield Elementary ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Ellicott City, 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 Ellicott City on the city page.
Is Northfield Elementary a good school?
Northfield Elementary 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 Howard County Public Schools?
Besides Northfield 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.