Enrollment
520
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Pasadena, MD
Sunset Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sunset Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240006000134
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunset Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Maryland schools.
- #8 of 8
- schools in Pasadena · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 35.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunset Elementary has class sizes larger than 93% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Elementary ranks #8 of 8 schools in Pasadena, MD.
School address
District: Anne Arundel County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240006000134 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.0%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunset Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunset Elementary
Sunset Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Pasadena, Maryland, enrolling 520 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.6:1 is larger than about 93% of Maryland schools and 28% above the 14.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 520 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Among 267 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #233, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 520 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Pasadena's public schools, it stands alongside High Point Elementary (665 students): Sunset Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.6:1 vs 14.8:1).
Anne Arundel County Public Schools also operates Glen Burnie High (2,226 students) and North County High (2,161 students) alongside Sunset 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 Sunset Elementary compares
Sunset 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 28% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.0% | ▼ 29% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 520 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
520
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 93% in Maryland - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.8%
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
$16,620
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 520 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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 70.8%
Hispanic or Latino 12.7%
Two or More 7.1%
African American 5.6%
Asian 2.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 70.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.4, Sunset Elementary is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, which includes Sunset Elementary.
$16,620
Per student
-19%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.4%
State 32.3%
Federal 11.4%
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 Sunset Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Burnie High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North County High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Broadneck High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Annapolis High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Meade High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunset Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,226
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,161
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 2,143
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,075
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,045
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Pasadena
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
High Point Elementary
Standard public school
665 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Bodkin Elementary
Standard public school
504 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Jacobsville Elementary
Standard public school
474 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Pasadena Elementary
Standard public school
450 students 15:1 students per teacher
Fort Smallwood Elementary
Standard public school
397 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Lake Shore Elementary
Standard public school
280 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 (~520 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunset Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sunset Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Anne Arundel 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 Sunset Elementary
How many students attend Sunset Elementary?
Sunset Elementary has 520 students enrolled. It is a public school in Pasadena, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunset Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunset Elementary is 18.6:1, which is 28% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sunset Elementary?
35.0% of students at Sunset Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunset Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sunset Elementary is White at 70.8% of enrollment, in Pasadena, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunset Elementary?
Sunset Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Sunset Elementary rank among schools in Pasadena?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunset Elementary ranks #8 of 8 schools in Pasadena, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Pasadena on the city page.
Is Sunset Elementary a good school?
Sunset Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Anne Arundel County Public Schools?
Besides Sunset Elementary, Anne Arundel County Public Schools also operates Glen Burnie High (2,226 students), North County High (2,161 students), and Broadneck High (2,143 students). See the Anne Arundel 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.