Enrollment
1,087
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Baltimore, MD
Paul Laurence Dunbar High
Federal NCES profile for Paul Laurence Dunbar High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 240009000298
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paul Laurence Dunbar High earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Maryland schools.
- #41 of 42
- high schools in Baltimore · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.3:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 73.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Paul Laurence Dunbar High has class sizes larger than 99% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Laurence Dunbar High ranks #41 of 42 high schools in Baltimore, MD.
School address
District: Baltimore City Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240009000298 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.3:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+74% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.2%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Paul Laurence Dunbar High compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Paul Laurence Dunbar High
Paul Laurence Dunbar High is a higher-need, large high school in Baltimore, Maryland, enrolling 1,087 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25.3:1 is larger than about 99% of Maryland schools and 74% above the 14.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,087 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,382 Maryland schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 117 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #110, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 362 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Baltimore's high schools, it stands alongside Dundalk High (2,087 students): Paul Laurence Dunbar High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.3:1 vs 15.5:1).
Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students) and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 students) alongside Paul Laurence Dunbar High.
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 Paul Laurence Dunbar High compares
Paul Laurence Dunbar High on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.3:1 | ▲ 74% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.2% | ▲ 49% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,087 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,087
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 74% above state mean
Top 99% in Maryland - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
60.7%
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
$18,272
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 362 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 80.2%
Hispanic or Latino 17.3%
White 1.4%
Asian 0.5%
Two or More 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 80.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.7, Paul Laurence Dunbar High is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Baltimore City Public Schools, which includes Paul Laurence Dunbar High.
$18,272
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.3%
State 51.4%
Federal 15.3%
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 Paul Laurence Dunbar High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Baltimore Polytechnic Institute | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Baltimore City College | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kipp Harmony Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roland Park Elementary/Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paul Laurence Dunbar High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,714
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,632
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,399
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,371
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high schools in Baltimore
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Dundalk High
Standard public school
2,087 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Perry Hall High
Standard public school
2,012 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Woodlawn High
Standard public school
1,922 students 17:1 students per teacher
Kenwood High
Standard public school
1,900 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Parkville High
Standard public school
1,877 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Catonsville High
Standard public school
1,735 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,087 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paul Laurence Dunbar High's federal record.
- Compare Paul Laurence Dunbar High against another school. Compare schools
- Baltimore City 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 Paul Laurence Dunbar High
How many students attend Paul Laurence Dunbar High?
Paul Laurence Dunbar High has 1,087 students enrolled. It is a high school in Baltimore, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paul Laurence Dunbar High?
The student-teacher ratio at Paul Laurence Dunbar High is 25.3:1, which is 74% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Paul Laurence Dunbar High?
73.2% of students at Paul Laurence Dunbar High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paul Laurence Dunbar High?
The largest demographic group at Paul Laurence Dunbar High is African American at 80.2% of enrollment, in Baltimore, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paul Laurence Dunbar High?
Paul Laurence Dunbar High has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Paul Laurence Dunbar High rank among high schools in Baltimore?
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Laurence Dunbar High ranks #41 of 42 high schools in Baltimore, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Baltimore on the city page.
Is Paul Laurence Dunbar High a good school?
Paul Laurence Dunbar High earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% 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 Baltimore City Public Schools?
Besides Paul Laurence Dunbar High, Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students), Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 students), and Baltimore City College (1,470 students). See the Baltimore City 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.