Enrollment
681
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, MD
Phelps Luck Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Phelps Luck Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240042000749
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Phelps Luck Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Maryland schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #3 of 12
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.3:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 44.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Phelps Luck Elementary has class sizes smaller than 86% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Phelps Luck Elementary ranks #3 of 12 schools in Columbia, MD.
School address
District: Howard County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240042000749 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.3:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.0%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Phelps Luck Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Phelps Luck Elementary
Phelps Luck Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbia, Maryland, enrolling 681 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.3:1, Phelps Luck Elementary is leaner than roughly 86% of Maryland schools and 22% under the state's 14.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 44.0% lands close to the Maryland typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 681 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 296 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #53.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (33%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 454 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Waterloo Elementary (666 students): Phelps Luck Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.3:1 vs 13.9:1).
Howard County Public Schools also operates Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students) and Reservoir High (1,597 students) alongside Phelps Luck 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 Phelps Luck Elementary compares
Phelps Luck 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 | 11.3:1 | ▼ 22% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.0% | ▼ 10% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 681 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.3:1
Leaner classes than 81% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
681
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.3:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 14% in Maryland - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
18.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 454 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 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
Hispanic or Latino 32.9%
White 27.8%
African American 24.1%
Asian 7.9%
Two or More 7.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 32.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.5, Phelps Luck 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 Phelps Luck 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 Phelps Luck Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriotts Ridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reservoir High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Atholton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Howard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mount Hebron High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Phelps Luck 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 other schools in Columbia
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Waterloo Elementary
Standard public school
666 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Swansfield Elementary
Standard public school
594 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Atholton Elementary
Standard public school
516 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Talbott Springs Elementary
Standard public school
461 students 10:1 students per teacher
Cradlerock Elementary
Standard public school
453 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Longfellow Elementary
Standard public school
446 students 11.7:1 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 (~681 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Phelps Luck Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Phelps Luck 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 Phelps Luck Elementary
How many students attend Phelps Luck Elementary?
Phelps Luck Elementary has 681 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Phelps Luck Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Phelps Luck Elementary is 11.3:1, which is 22% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 28% 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 Phelps Luck Elementary?
44.0% of students at Phelps Luck Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Phelps Luck Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Phelps Luck Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 32.9% of enrollment, in Columbia, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Phelps Luck Elementary?
Phelps Luck Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Phelps Luck Elementary rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Phelps Luck Elementary ranks #3 of 12 schools in Columbia, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbia on the city page.
Is Phelps Luck Elementary a good school?
Phelps Luck Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Maryland schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Howard County Public Schools?
Besides Phelps Luck 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.