Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 154 schools in district

Baltimore Design School

1500 Barclay Street, Baltimore, MD 21202Baltimore City Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–12Non-Charter
496
Students
Total enrolled
98%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 13% vs nat'l
$23,862
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 66% vs nat'l
15.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
28/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 45% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 496 students in grades 06–12 in Baltimore, Maryland.
66% above average funding
District spends $23,862 per pupil, 66% more than the national average of $14,347.
Low opportunity neighborhood
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 28th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Baltimore Design School is a mid-sized high in Baltimore, Maryland, serving grades 06–12 with 496 students. The district invests $23,862 per student — 66% above the national average of $14,347, with a 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 75% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 28/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Baltimore Design School

496
Total Students
15.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
75%
Free Lunch
33
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution169 male · 325 female
34%
66%
Male 34%Female 66%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility75%
National avg 52% · 374 students
Student Composition
89%
White5%
Hispanic / Latino4%
Black89%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 240009001703

Academic Outcomes at Baltimore Design School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
98%
State avg
90%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
28
/ 100
Low opportunity neighborhood

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 28th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 1th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 21202

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$23,862Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$23,862
State avg
$28,238
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$10,499
Student Support$4,534
Administration$2,863
Operations$3,579
Other$2,386
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $23,862 spent per student, an estimated $10,571 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
51%
33%
State government
51.4%
Local (property tax)
33.3%
Federal programs
15.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 98% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Above-average funding — $23,862/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (28/100) — national median is 50
  • 75% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
KIPP Harmony AcademyRoland Park Elementary/MiddleThe Belair-Edison SchoolLakeland Elementary/Middle
+12 more
↓
High School
Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical HighDigital Harbor High SchoolBaltimore Polytechnic InstituteBaltimore City College
+10 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades06 – 12
Location—
CountyBaltimore city
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBaltimore City Public Schools →
Phone: (443)642-2311
NCES ID: 240009001703
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Baltimore seeking a public high 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 Baltimore City Public Schools
High
Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High
1,677 students · 09–12
● 36 opp74% FRL
High
Digital Harbor High School
1,591 students · 09–12
● 32 opp70% FRL
High
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
1,555 students · 09–12
● 53 opp43% FRL
High
Baltimore City College
1,497 students · 09–12
● 36 opp46% FRL
Elem
KIPP Harmony Academy
1,480 students · KG–08
● 32 opp81% FRL
Elem
Roland Park Elementary/Middle
1,365 students · PK–08
● 39 opp32% FRL
High
Patterson High
1,335 students · 09–12
● 35 opp65% FRL
High
Western High
1,262 students · 09–12
● 53 opp68% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1500 Barclay Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.