Enrollment
839
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Bethesda, MD
Westland Middle
Federal NCES profile for Westland Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 240048000949
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Westland Middle earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Maryland schools.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Bethesda · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 15.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Westland Middle has class sizes larger than 71% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Westland Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Bethesda, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048000949 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.6%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Westland Middle compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Westland Middle
Westland Middle is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Bethesda, Maryland, enrolling 839 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 15.6% free-meal eligibility runs 68% below the Maryland average.
Enrollment of 839 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 90% of the 1,382 Maryland schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 179 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #19, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 280 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
12.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Bethesda's middle schools, it stands alongside Thomas W. Pyle Middle (1,259 students): Westland Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 15.9:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Westland Middle.
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 Westland Middle compares
Westland Middle on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▲ 11% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.6% | ▼ 68% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 839 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
839
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 71% in Maryland - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
12.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$18,101
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 280 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 49.0%
Hispanic or Latino 19.1%
African American 12.5%
Asian 11.8%
Two or More 7.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 49.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.9, Westland Middle is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montgomery County Public Schools, which includes Westland Middle.
$18,101
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.0%
State 23.7%
Federal 10.3%
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 Westland Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Westland Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,266
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 3,016
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,794
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,441
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,409
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar middle schools in Bethesda
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~839 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Westland Middle's federal record.
- Compare Westland Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Montgomery 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 Westland Middle
How many students attend Westland Middle?
Westland Middle has 839 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Bethesda, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Westland Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Westland Middle is 16.1:1, which is 11% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Westland Middle?
15.6% of students at Westland Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Westland Middle?
The largest demographic group at Westland Middle is White at 49.0% of enrollment, in Bethesda, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Westland Middle?
Westland Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Westland Middle rank among middle schools in Bethesda?
By Resource Investment Index, Westland Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Bethesda, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Bethesda on the city page.
Is Westland Middle a good school?
Westland Middle earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Westland Middle, Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students), Walter Johnson High (3,016 students), and Wheaton High (2,794 students). See the Montgomery 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.