Enrollment
167
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Baltimore, MD
William S. Baer School
Federal NCES profile for William S. Baer School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240009000336
👥 S:T ratio 74
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William S. Baer School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Maryland schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Maryland.
- #100 of 177
- schools in Baltimore · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 6.4:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 70.5%
- free-lunch eligible
William S. Baer School has class sizes smaller than 97% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William S. Baer School ranks #100 of 177 schools in Baltimore, MD.
School address
District: Baltimore City Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240009000336 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
6.4:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-56% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.5%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William S. Baer School compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at William S. Baer School
William S. Baer School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Baltimore, Maryland, enrolling 167 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 6.4:1, William S. Baer School is leaner than roughly 97% of Maryland schools and 56% under the state's 14.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.5% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of Maryland schools, with 167 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Among 21 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #21, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 334 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 71.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Baltimore's public schools, it stands alongside Roland Park Elementary/Middle (1,371 students): William S. Baer School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (6.4:1 vs 19.6:1).
Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students) and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 students) alongside William S. Baer 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 William S. Baer School compares
William S. Baer 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 | 6.4:1 | ▼ 56% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.5% | ▲ 44% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 167 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6.4:1
Leaner classes than 97% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
167
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
6.4:1
students per teacher
- 56% below state mean
Top 3% in Maryland - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
71.3%
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
$18,272
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
African American 73.1%
Hispanic or Latino 16.2%
White 6.0%
Asian 4.8%
Largest group: African American at 73.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.3, William S. Baer School is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Baltimore City Public Schools, which includes William S. Baer School.
$18,272
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.3%
State 51.4%
Federal 15.3%
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 William S. Baer School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baltimore Polytechnic Institute | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Baltimore City College | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kipp Harmony Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roland Park Elementary/Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William S. Baer School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,714
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,632
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,399
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,371
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Baltimore
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Roland Park Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
1,371 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Lakeland Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
1,070 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
John Ruhrah Elementary/Middle
Standard public school
1,061 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Academy for College and Career Exploration
Standard public school
967 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Hampstead Hill Academy
Standard public school
933 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
The Belair-Edison School
Standard public school
911 students 13.6:1 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 (~167 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William S. Baer School's federal record.
- Compare William S. Baer School against another school. Compare schools
- Baltimore City 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 William S. Baer School
How many students attend William S. Baer School?
William S. Baer School has 167 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Baltimore, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William S. Baer School?
The student-teacher ratio at William S. Baer School is 6.4:1, which is 56% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 59% 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 William S. Baer School?
70.5% of students at William S. Baer School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William S. Baer School?
The largest demographic group at William S. Baer School is African American at 73.1% of enrollment, in Baltimore, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William S. Baer School?
William S. Baer 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 William S. Baer School rank among schools in Baltimore?
By Resource Investment Index, William S. Baer School ranks #100 of 177 schools in Baltimore, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Baltimore on the city page.
Is William S. Baer School a good school?
William S. Baer School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Maryland schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Maryland. 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 Baltimore City Public Schools?
Besides William S. Baer School, Baltimore City Public Schools also operates Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (1,714 students), Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (1,632 students), and Baltimore City College (1,470 students). See the Baltimore City 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.