Enrollment
321
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cumberland, MD
West Side Elementary
Federal NCES profile for West Side Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240003000032
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Side Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Maryland schools.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Cumberland · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 66.6%
- free-lunch eligible
West Side Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Side Elementary ranks #5 of 5 schools in Cumberland, MD.
School address
District: Allegany County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240003000032 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.6%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Side Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Side Elementary
West Side Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Cumberland, Maryland, enrolling 321 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 321 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 176 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #85.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Two or More (14%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 321 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Cumberland's public schools, it stands alongside South Penn Elementary (491 students): West Side Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.8:1 vs 10.7:1).
Allegany County Public Schools also operates Mountain Ridge High School (743 students) and Allegany High (719 students) alongside West Side 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 West Side Elementary compares
West Side 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 | 12.8:1 | ▼ 12% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.6% | ▲ 36% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 321 | top 83% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
321
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% above the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 27% in Maryland - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
38.0%
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
$17,465
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 321 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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 71.3%
Two or More 13.7%
African American 9.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 71.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.3, West Side Elementary is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Allegany County Public Schools, which includes West Side Elementary.
$17,465
Per student
-15%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.8%
State 62.9%
Federal 14.3%
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 West Side Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Allegany High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort Hill High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Braddock Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Side Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 719
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 655
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Cumberland
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Penn Elementary
Standard public school
491 students 10.7:1 students per teacher
Northeast Elementary
Standard public school
272 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
John Humbird Elementary
Standard public school
242 students 11:1 students per teacher
Bel Air Elementary
Standard public school
216 students 12.7:1 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 (~321 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Side Elementary's federal record.
- Compare West Side Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Allegany 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 West Side Elementary
How many students attend West Side Elementary?
West Side Elementary has 321 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cumberland, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Side Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at West Side Elementary is 12.8:1, which is 12% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 18% 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 West Side Elementary?
66.6% of students at West Side Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Side Elementary?
The largest demographic group at West Side Elementary is White at 71.3% of enrollment, in Cumberland, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Side Elementary?
West Side Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 West Side Elementary rank among schools in Cumberland?
By Resource Investment Index, West Side Elementary ranks #5 of 5 schools in Cumberland, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cumberland on the city page.
Is West Side Elementary a good school?
West Side Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% 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 Allegany County Public Schools?
Besides West Side Elementary, Allegany County Public Schools also operates Mountain Ridge High School (743 students), Allegany High (719 students), and Fort Hill High (655 students). See the Allegany 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.