- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Columbia, MD
Thunder Hill Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Thunder Hill Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 240042000757
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thunder Hill Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Maryland schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Maryland schools.
- #18 of 23
- public schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 37.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Thunder Hill Elementary has class sizes smaller than 78% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thunder Hill Elementary ranks #18 of 23 public schools in Columbia, MD.
School address
District: Howard County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240042000757 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-18 students YoY
Thunder Hill Elementary held near 454 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-18 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 37.3 → 37.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-18 students YoY 240042000757 · Columbia, MD Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
459 enr · 12.4:1 · 37.9% lunch · RII 39
Nearest enrollment peer: Marriotts Ridge High (1,741 students)
Thunder Hill Elementary held near 454 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-18 headcount). Teacher FTE held 37.3 → 37.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Maryland schools → · Find another →
Thunder Hill Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Marriotts Ridg
Marriotts Ridge High
1,741 students
- Reservoir High
Reservoir High
1,597 students
- Atholton High
Atholton High
1,540 students
- Howard High
Howard High
1,493 students
- Mount Hebron H
Mount Hebron High
1,455 students
- This school 459
Thunder Hill Elementary
459 students
What this shows Thunder Hill Elementary reports 459 students on the CCD universe file.
How Thunder Hill Elementary compares
Thunder Hill Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▼ 14% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.9% | ▼ 23% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 459 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
459
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
37.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 22% in Maryland - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
29.6%
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
$19,256
per pupil, district-wide
- above Maryland avg of $18,753
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 459 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 31.4%
White 23.1%
Hispanic or Latino 21.2%
Asian 15.9%
Two or More 8.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 31.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.1, Thunder Hill Elementary is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Howard County Public Schools reports $19,256 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Thunder Hill 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Atholton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Howard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mount Hebron High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thunder Hill Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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 elementary schools in Columbia
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~459 students)
Frequently asked questions about Thunder Hill Elementary
How many students attend Thunder Hill Elementary?
Thunder Hill Elementary has 459 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Columbia, MD. CCD year-over-year: 472 (2022-23) → 454 (2023-24), nearly flat (-18).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thunder Hill Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Thunder Hill Elementary is 12.4:1, which is 14% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 21% 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 Thunder Hill Elementary?
37.9% of students at Thunder Hill Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thunder Hill Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Thunder Hill Elementary is African American at 31.4% of enrollment, in Columbia, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thunder Hill Elementary?
Thunder Hill Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Thunder Hill Elementary rank among public schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Thunder Hill Elementary ranks #18 of 23 public 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 public schools in Columbia on the city page.
What other schools are in Howard County Public Schools?
Besides Thunder Hill 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.