Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies

Set in Baltimore, Maryland, Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is a tiny four-year high school, run under Baltimore County Public Schools. It caters to 68 students across grades 9 through 12. Compared to the state average of about 1,185 students per school, that is 94% below typical.

Baltimore County Public Schools runs 177 schools in total, collectively educating 110,872 students. Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is one of those campuses.

In terms of who attends, Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies reports that 79% of the student body identifies as Black. Other groups include 10% Hispanic, 6% White, 4% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 31% Black, putting the school's mix considerably more Black than the area baseline.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies logs 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 4.0:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 15.3:1 average. An estimated 74% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Baltimore County (around 53%), the school's rate is somewhat above typical.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Baltimore County put median household income runs about $91,768, roughly 42% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. In all, Baltimore County runs 180 public schools (combined enrollment of about 110,872 students), of which Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies is one.

Nearest neighbor: Catonsville High, around 0.6 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies.

Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies operates from a residential location.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count grew 3%: 66 students in 2018 compared to 68 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 18% to 6% across the same window.

On the community side, members of the Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies community share and discuss fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.