Enrollment
1,735
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Frederick, MD
Tuscarora High
Federal NCES profile for Tuscarora High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 240033001550
👥 S:T ratio 22
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tuscarora High earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Maryland schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Maryland.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Frederick · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.5:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 35.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Tuscarora High has class sizes larger than 95% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tuscarora High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Frederick, MD.
School address
District: Frederick County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240033001550 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
89.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.5:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.6%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tuscarora High compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tuscarora High
Tuscarora High is a large high school in Frederick, Maryland, enrolling 1,735 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.5:1 is larger than about 95% of Maryland schools and 34% 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 35.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Maryland, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,735 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 70 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #43.
Its student body is led by White (31%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 24 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 289 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Frederick County Public Schools spends $14,981 per pupil, 27% below the Maryland average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Frederick's high schools, it stands alongside Gov. Thomas Johnson High (2,066 students): Tuscarora High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.5:1 vs 19.5:1).
Frederick County Public Schools also operates Gov. Thomas Johnson High (2,066 students) and Urbana High (1,989 students) alongside Tuscarora High.
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 Tuscarora High compares
Tuscarora High on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.5:1 | ▲ 34% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.6% | ▼ 27% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,735 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.5:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,735
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% 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
19.5:1
students per teacher
- 34% above state mean
Top 95% in Maryland - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.4%
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
$14,981
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 289 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
23
in-school suspensions + 101 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 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 30.6%
Hispanic or Latino 29.7%
African American 24.7%
Asian 7.8%
Two or More 6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 30.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.7, Tuscarora High is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 24
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Frederick County Public Schools, which includes Tuscarora High.
$14,981
Per student
-27%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.4%
State 38.3%
Federal 11.2%
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 Tuscarora High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gov. Thomas Johnson High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Urbana High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frederick High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oakdale High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Linganore High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tuscarora High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,066
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,989
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,821
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,702
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,647
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar high schools in Frederick
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~1,735 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tuscarora High's federal record.
- Compare Tuscarora High against another school. Compare schools
- Frederick 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 Tuscarora High
How many students attend Tuscarora High?
Tuscarora High has 1,735 students enrolled. It is a high school in Frederick, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tuscarora High?
The student-teacher ratio at Tuscarora High is 19.5:1, which is 34% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tuscarora High?
35.6% of students at Tuscarora High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tuscarora High?
The largest demographic group at Tuscarora High is White at 30.6% of enrollment, in Frederick, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tuscarora High?
Tuscarora High has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Tuscarora High rank among high schools in Frederick?
By Resource Investment Index, Tuscarora High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Frederick, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Frederick on the city page.
Is Tuscarora High a good school?
Tuscarora High earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Maryland schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Maryland. 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 Frederick County Public Schools?
Besides Tuscarora High, Frederick County Public Schools also operates Gov. Thomas Johnson High (2,066 students), Urbana High (1,989 students), and Frederick High (1,821 students). See the Frederick 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.