Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 77 schools in district

Swansfield Elementary

5610 Cedar Ln, Columbia, MD 21044Howard County Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
592
Students
Total enrolled
$20,893
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 46% vs nat'l
12.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 19% vs nat'l
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 592 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.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 47th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Swansfield Elementary is a large elementary in Columbia, Maryland, serving grades PK–05 with 592 students. The district invests $20,893 per student — 46% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 41% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Swansfield Elementary

592
Total Students
12.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
41%
Free Lunch
47
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 Distribution312 male · 280 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility41%
National avg 52% · 243 students
Student Composition
9%
29%
10%
42%
10%
Asian9%
White29%
Hispanic / Latino10%
Black42%
Multiracial10%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 240042000755

Academic Outcomes at Swansfield Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
47
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 47th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 67th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 21044

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
  • 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • 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)313-6907
NCES ID: 240042000755
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
5610 Cedar Ln, Columbia, MD 21044
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.