Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School

Public elementary school, pre-kindergarten to grade 5 · La Plata, Maryland

Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School in La Plata, Maryland enrolled 663 students in 2024-25 with 36.0 full-time teachers, 18.4 students per teacher against the Maryland elementary-school median of 13.9. It was not a Title I school in 2021-22; it takes part in the National School Lunch Program (2024-25). On the state tests, 50% of its students tested were proficient in reading in 2021-22 and 31% proficient in math in 2022-23 (Maryland: 45.1% and 27.1%).

Enrollment rose 4% from 2022-23 to 2024-25; full-time teachers fell 8%

637 students in 2022-23, 605 students in 2023-24, 663 students in 2024-25. Full-time teachers went from 39.0 to 36.0.

Students enrolled at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School by school year2022-23: 637, 2023-24: 605, 2024-25: 66302004006008002022-236372023-246052024-25663
Students enrolled at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School by school year2022-23: 637, 2023-24: 605, 2024-25: 66302004006008002022-236372023-246052024-25663
Students enrolled at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School by school year2022-23: 637, 2023-24: 605, 2024-25: 66302004006008002022-236372023-246052024-25663
Students enrolled at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School by school year2022-23: 637, 2023-24: 605, 2024-25: 66302004006008002022-236372023-246052024-25663
The numbers as a table
School yearStudentsTeachers (FTE)Per teacher
2022-2363739.016.3
2023-2460536.716.5
2024-2566336.018.4

18.4 students per teacher, a higher ratio than 98 of every 100 Maryland elementary schools

Among the 877 Maryland elementary schools that reported teachers for 2024-25 the median is 13.9; the national median for elementary schools is 14.6. A ratio counts every teacher, so it is not the size of a class.

Students per teacher, Maryland elementary schools, 2024-25240 values from 3.4 to 23.0; This school 18.4; state median 13.9.1 more above 20.0 →05101520students per full-time teacherThis school 18.4state median 13.9U.S. 14.6
Students per teacher, Maryland elementary schools, 2024-25240 values from 3.4 to 23.0; This school 18.4; state median 13.9.1 more above 20.0 →05101520students per full-time teacherThis school 18.4state median 13.9U.S. 14.6
Students per teacher, Maryland elementary schools, 2024-25240 values from 3.4 to 23.0; This school 18.4; state median 13.9.1 more above 20.0 →05101520students per full-time teacherThis school 18.4state median 13.9U.S. 14.6
Students per teacher, Maryland elementary schools, 2024-25240 values from 3.4 to 23.0; This school 18.4; state median 13.9.1 more above 20.0 →05101520students per full-time teacherThis school 18.4state median 13.9U.S. 14.6

Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; the comparison counts schools with a 2024-25 teacher count and a ratio from 3 to 99 (lower values are reporting errors).

One counselor per 566 students in 2021-22

In the 2021-22 civil rights collection Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School enrolled 566 students and had 1.0 counselor (full-time equivalent); it reported 2 out-of-school suspensions that year.

  • Advanced Placement coursesNone
  • Gifted and talented programYes
  • Counselors (FTE)1.0, one per 566 of the 566 students enrolled in 2021-22
  • Out-of-school suspensions2
  • Chronically absent27.0% (2022-23)

Who attends

51.3% of students were White, 24.3% Black, 11.9% Hispanic in 2024-25.

  1. White51.3%
  2. Black24.3%
  3. Hispanic11.9%
  4. Two or more races10.7%
  5. Asian1.4%
  6. American Indian0.3%
  7. Pacific Islander0.2%

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22; chronic absenteeism from EDFacts 2022-23; every count and the counselor ratio are for that school year. Who attends: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, membership by race and ethnicity.

State test results, 2021-22 and 2022-23

The students tested at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School scored proficient or above: 50% in reading in 2021-22 and 31% in math in 2022-23, against 45.1% in reading in 2021-22 and 27.1% in math in 2022-23 across Maryland. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Maryland, not across states. ED Data Express holds no district results after 2021-22, so the district column gives its 2021-22 figure.

Students proficient or above, 2021-22 and 2022-23
Subject and yearThis schoolIts districtMaryland
Reading and language arts, 2021-2250%38%45.1%
Math, 2022-2331%17% (2021-22)27.1%

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22 and 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express (2021-22 through the Data Rescue Project archive); for 2022-23 ED published math by school and reading only by state: ED shows school and district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.

Elementary schools in La Plata

2 public elementary schools in La Plata report 2024-25 enrollment; Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School is the largest.

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunch
Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School66318.430.5%
Mary H. Matula Elementary School61014.532.6%

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25.

What to look at next about Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School

  1. Mary H. Matula Elementary SchoolThe nearest public elementary school, 2.1 miles away: 610 students, 14.5 per teacher (2024-25).2.1 mi
  2. Dr. James Craik Elementary SchoolThe next nearest public elementary school, 4.7 miles away: 520 students, 13.3 per teacher (2024-25).4.7 mi
  3. Compare Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School with Mary H. Matula Elementary SchoolStudents, teachers, meals, test results and who attends, side by side.
  4. How much Charles County Public Schools spends per student$17,415 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (U.S. $16,260), with its revenue sources and teacher pay.$17,415
  5. The largest public schools in MarylandWalter J. Mitchell Elementary School is the number 129 by size of 881 Maryland elementary schools open in 2024-25.#129 of 881
  6. Maryland schools by students per teacher18.4 students per teacher here against the Maryland median of 13.9 for elementary schools.18.4:1
  7. Find the school district for an addressA home's district, not its city, decides which public schools it can enroll in.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (locations, enrollment, teachers); NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23. Distances are straight lines between the schools' NCES coordinates, not travel routes.

Questions about Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School

  1. How many students attend Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School?
    663 in the 2024-25 school year, according to the NCES Common Core of Data; 637 in 2022-23. It is an elementary school in La Plata, MD.
  2. What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School?
    18.4 students per full-time teacher (2024-25); the Maryland median for elementary schools is 13.9. A ratio counts every teacher, so it is not the size of a class.
  3. Is Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School a Title I school?
    Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School was not a Title I school in 2021-22, the last year NCES published school Title I status.
  4. How do students at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School do on state tests?
    The students tested at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School scored proficient or above: 50% in reading in 2021-22 and 31% in math in 2022-23, against 45.1% in reading in 2021-22 and 27.1% in math in 2022-23 across Maryland. Maryland's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22 and 2022-23; ED publishes school results as ranges to protect small groups.
  5. What district is Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School in?
    Charles County Public Schools, NCES district ID 2400270. The first seven digits of the school's NCES ID 240027000609 are the district's.

Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.

Sources

Every federal file behind this record
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
  • Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
  • EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
  • EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22 and 2022-23: reading and math proficiency for the school, its district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
  • NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov

Source: NCES Common Core of Data Directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection School-level files (AP, gifted, counselors, discipline) · 2021-22