Enrollment
578
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sykesville, MD
Piney Ridge Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Piney Ridge Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240021090466
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Piney Ridge Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Maryland schools.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Sykesville · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 18.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Piney Ridge Elementary has class sizes larger than 71% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Piney Ridge Elementary ranks #1 of 5 schools in Sykesville, MD.
School address
District: Carroll County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240021090466 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.0%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Piney Ridge Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Piney Ridge Elementary
Piney Ridge Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Sykesville, Maryland, enrolling 578 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.0% free-meal eligibility runs 63% below the Maryland average.
With 578 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 239 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #32.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Asian (14%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 289 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Carroll County Public Schools spends $15,757 per pupil, 23% below the Maryland average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Sykesville's public schools, it stands alongside Linton Springs Elementary (759 students): Piney Ridge Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.1:1 vs 17.7:1).
Carroll County Public Schools also operates Westminster High (1,477 students) and Manchester Valley High (1,339 students) alongside Piney Ridge 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 Piney Ridge Elementary compares
Piney Ridge 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 | 16.1:1 | ▲ 11% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.0% | ▼ 63% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 578 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
578
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 71% in Maryland - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.7%
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
$15,757
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 289 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: 0.2 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 66.3%
Asian 14.4%
African American 8.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.9%
Two or More 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 66.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.7, Piney Ridge 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 Carroll County Public Schools, which includes Piney Ridge Elementary.
$15,757
Per student
-23%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.2%
State 37.6%
Federal 8.2%
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 Piney Ridge Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Manchester Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winters Mill High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Century High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Liberty High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Piney Ridge Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,477
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,339
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,156
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,101
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,007
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Sykesville
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Linton Springs Elementary
Standard public school
759 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Carrolltowne Elementary
Standard public school
593 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Mechanicsville Elementary
Standard public school
510 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Eldersburg Elementary
Standard public school
470 students 14.7:1 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 (~578 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Piney Ridge Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Piney Ridge Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Carroll 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 Piney Ridge Elementary
How many students attend Piney Ridge Elementary?
Piney Ridge Elementary has 578 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sykesville, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Piney Ridge Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Piney Ridge Elementary is 16.1:1, which is 11% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Piney Ridge Elementary?
18.0% of students at Piney Ridge Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Piney Ridge Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Piney Ridge Elementary is White at 66.3% of enrollment, in Sykesville, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Piney Ridge Elementary?
Piney Ridge Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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 Piney Ridge Elementary rank among schools in Sykesville?
By Resource Investment Index, Piney Ridge Elementary ranks #1 of 5 schools in Sykesville, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sykesville on the city page.
Is Piney Ridge Elementary a good school?
Piney Ridge Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Carroll County Public Schools?
Besides Piney Ridge Elementary, Carroll County Public Schools also operates Westminster High (1,477 students), Manchester Valley High (1,339 students), and Winters Mill High (1,156 students). See the Carroll 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.