Enrollment
663
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · La Plata, MD
Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240027000609
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Maryland schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in La Plata · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 28.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School has class sizes larger than 81% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in La Plata, MD.
School address
District: Charles County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240027000609 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.9%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School
Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in La Plata, Maryland, enrolling 663 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 663 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Among 281 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #257, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and African American (24%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 663 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among La Plata's public schools, it stands alongside Mary H. Matula Elementary School (610 students): Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17:1 vs 14.9:1).
Charles County Public Schools also operates North Point High School (1,960 students) and St. Charles High School (1,617 students) alongside Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School.
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 Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School compares
Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17:1 | ▲ 17% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.9% | ▼ 41% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 663 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
663
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
17:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 81% in Maryland - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.4%
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
$16,671
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 663 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 51.3%
African American 24.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.9%
Two or More 10.7%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 51.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charles County Public Schools, which includes Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School.
$16,671
Per student
-18%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.0%
State 44.3%
Federal 10.7%
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 Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Point High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| St. Charles High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Stone High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| La Plata High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Westlake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,960
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,617
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,230
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,217
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,216
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in La Plata
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~663 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Charles 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 Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School
How many students attend Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School?
Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School has 663 students enrolled. It is a public school in La Plata, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School is 17:1, which is 17% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School?
28.9% of students at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School is White at 51.3% of enrollment, in La Plata, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School?
Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School rank among public schools in La Plata?
By Resource Investment Index, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in La Plata, 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 La Plata on the city page.
Is Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School a good school?
Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Charles County Public Schools?
Besides Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, Charles County Public Schools also operates North Point High School (1,960 students), St. Charles High School (1,617 students), and Thomas Stone High School (1,230 students). See the Charles 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.