Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 77 schools in district

Atholton Elementary

6700 Seneca Dr, Columbia, MD 21046Howard County Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
489
Students
Total enrolled
$20,893
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 46% vs nat'l
13.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 11% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 489 students in grades PK–05 in Columbia, Maryland.
46% above average funding
District spends $20,893 per pupil, 46% more than the national average of $14,347.
13.8 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Atholton Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Columbia, Maryland, serving grades PK–05 with 489 students. The district invests $20,893 per student — 46% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 17% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Atholton Elementary

489
Total Students
13.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
17%
Free Lunch
36
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution254 male · 235 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility17%
National avg 52% · 82 students
Student Composition
47%
13%
23%
10%
Asian6%
White47%
Hispanic / Latino13%
Black23%
Multiracial10%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 240042000718

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,893Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$20,893
State avg
$28,238
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,193
Student Support$3,970
Administration$2,507
Operations$3,134
Other$2,089
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $20,893 spent per student, an estimated $9,256 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
30%
63%
State government
29.5%
Local (property tax)
62.7%
Federal programs
7.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $20,893/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 17% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Fulton ElementaryVeterans ElementaryWaverly ElementaryHanover Hills
+10 more
↓
Middle
Mount View MiddleThomas ViaductBurleigh Manor Middle SchoolPatuxent Valley Middle
↓
High School
Reservoir HighHoward HighMarriotts Ridge HighLong Reach High
+8 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyHoward County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHoward County Public Schools →
Phone: (410)313-6853
NCES ID: 240042000718
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Columbia seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Howard County Public Schools
High
Reservoir High
1,837 students · 09–12
28% FRL
High
Howard High
1,741 students · 09–12
● 51 opp21% FRL
High
Marriotts Ridge High
1,716 students · 09–12
● 59 opp14% FRL
High
Long Reach High
1,714 students · 09–12
● 44 opp41% FRL
High
Mount Hebron High
1,621 students · 09–12
● 50 opp18% FRL
High
Atholton High
1,467 students · 09–12
● 47 opp24% FRL
High
River Hill High
1,424 students · 09–12
● 53 opp8% FRL
High
Oakland Mills High
1,401 students · 09–12
● 44 opp43% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
6700 Seneca Dr, Columbia, MD 21046
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.