Enrollment
407
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, MD
Running Brook Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Running Brook Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240042000751
👥 S:T ratio 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Running Brook Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of Maryland schools.
- #11 of 12
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.8:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 49.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Running Brook Elementary has class sizes smaller than 96% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Running Brook Elementary ranks #11 of 12 schools in Columbia, MD.
School address
District: Howard County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240042000751 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.8:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.4%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Running Brook Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Running Brook Elementary
Running Brook Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Columbia, Maryland, enrolling 407 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.8:1, Running Brook Elementary is leaner than roughly 96% of Maryland schools and 39% under the state's 14.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 49.4% lands close to the Maryland typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 407 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 253 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #163.
Its student body is led by African American (51%) and White (17%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 407 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Phelps Luck Elementary (681 students): Running Brook Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.8:1 vs 11.3:1).
Howard County Public Schools also operates Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students) and Reservoir High (1,597 students) alongside Running Brook 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 Running Brook Elementary compares
Running Brook 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 | 8.8:1 | ▼ 39% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.4% | ▲ 1% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 407 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.8:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
407
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% 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
8.8:1
students per teacher
- 39% below state mean
Top 4% in Maryland - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
49.9%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 407 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 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
African American 51.4%
White 16.5%
Hispanic or Latino 14.7%
Asian 9.3%
Two or More 7.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: African American at 51.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.3, Running Brook 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 Running Brook 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 Running Brook 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 Running Brook 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.
Phelps Luck Elementary
Standard public school
681 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
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
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 (~407 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Running Brook Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Running Brook 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 Running Brook Elementary
How many students attend Running Brook Elementary?
Running Brook Elementary has 407 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Running Brook Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Running Brook Elementary is 8.8:1, which is 39% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 44% 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 Running Brook Elementary?
49.4% of students at Running Brook Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Running Brook Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Running Brook Elementary is African American at 51.4% of enrollment, in Columbia, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Running Brook Elementary?
Running Brook Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Running Brook Elementary rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Running Brook Elementary ranks #11 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 Running Brook Elementary a good school?
Running Brook Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% 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 Howard County Public Schools?
Besides Running Brook 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.