Enrollment
530
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Germantown, MD
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 240048001181
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #5 of 20
- public schools in Germantown · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 25.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary ranks #5 of 20 public schools in Germantown, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048001181 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
25.4%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Germantown, Maryland, enrolling 530 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 25.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 530 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 275 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #77.
Its student body is led by Asian (37%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 353 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Germantown's elementary schools, it stands alongside Great Seneca Creek Elementary (487 students): Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.6:1 vs 12.2:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Spark M. Matsunaga 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 Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary compares
Spark M. Matsunaga 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 6% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.4% | ▼ 48% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 530 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
530
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
25.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 37% in Maryland - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.9%
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
$18,101
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 353 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
Asian 37.2%
African American 22.1%
White 16.2%
Hispanic or Latino 15.5%
Two or More 8.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 37.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.5, Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montgomery County Public Schools, which includes Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary.
$18,101
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.0%
State 23.7%
Federal 10.3%
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 Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,266
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 3,016
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,794
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,441
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,409
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar elementary schools in Germantown
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~530 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Montgomery 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 Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary
How many students attend Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary?
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary has 530 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Germantown, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary is 13.6:1, which is 6% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 13% 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 Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary?
25.4% of students at Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary is Asian at 37.2% of enrollment, in Germantown, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary?
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary rank among public schools in Germantown?
By Resource Investment Index, Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary ranks #5 of 20 public schools in Germantown, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Germantown on the city page.
Is Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary a good school?
Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. 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 Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary, Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students), Walter Johnson High (3,016 students), and Wheaton High (2,794 students). See the Montgomery 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.