Enrollment
711
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gaithersburg, MD
Whetstone Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Whetstone Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240048000953
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whetstone Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Maryland schools.
- #5 of 16
- schools in Gaithersburg · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.1:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 66.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Whetstone Elementary has class sizes smaller than 81% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whetstone Elementary ranks #5 of 16 schools in Gaithersburg, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048000953 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
59.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.3%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whetstone Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whetstone Elementary
Whetstone Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Gaithersburg, Maryland, enrolling 711 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 711 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 301 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #87.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Gaithersburg's public schools, it stands alongside South Lake Elementary (746 students): Whetstone Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.1:1 vs 11.7:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Whetstone 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 Whetstone Elementary compares
Whetstone 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 | 12.1:1 | ▼ 17% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.3% | ▲ 35% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 711 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
711
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 19% in Maryland - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.3%
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
$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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 57.1%
African American 25.7%
Asian 7.9%
White 5.9%
Two or More 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.7, Whetstone Elementary 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 Whetstone Elementary.
$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 Whetstone Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whetstone Elementary'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 other schools in Gaithersburg
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Lake Elementary
Standard public school
746 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Rachel Carson Elementary
Standard public school
671 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Gaithersburg Elementary
Standard public school
603 students 8.9:1 students per teacher
Brown Station Elementary
Standard public school
572 students 9.9:1 students per teacher
Harriet R. Tubman Elementary
Standard public school
571 students 13:1 students per teacher
Rosemont Elementary
Standard public school
564 students 10.8:1 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 (~711 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whetstone Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Whetstone Elementary 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 Whetstone Elementary
How many students attend Whetstone Elementary?
Whetstone Elementary has 711 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gaithersburg, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whetstone Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Whetstone Elementary is 12.1:1, which is 17% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 23% 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 Whetstone Elementary?
66.3% of students at Whetstone Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whetstone Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Whetstone Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 57.1% of enrollment, in Gaithersburg, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whetstone Elementary?
Whetstone Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Whetstone Elementary rank among schools in Gaithersburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Whetstone Elementary ranks #5 of 16 schools in Gaithersburg, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gaithersburg on the city page.
Is Whetstone Elementary a good school?
Whetstone Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller 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 Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Whetstone Elementary, 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.