Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

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. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

North Merrick, New York - 5 schools

An equity score of 44/100 ranks Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District #496 of 941 districts in New York (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $30,426 per pupil, Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District ranks #203 of 999 New York districts by per-pupil spending (New York districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,243
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$30,426
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District operates 5 public schools serving 5,243 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New York. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 high, 2 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Nassau County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $30,426 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 999 New York districts by per-pupil spending. See how New York compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 71.6% local, 25.0% state, and 3.5% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 44/100, ranked #496 of 941 in New York against a state average of 45, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (87 AP courses district-wide), a 193.9:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 13.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 69.8% White, 15.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Grand Avenue Middle School, with a diversity index of 53.4/100.

Its largest campus is Sanford H Calhoun High School, enrolling 1,219 students (23% of the district's total enrollment).

Sanford H Calhoun High School accounts for 23.1% of all Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District student enrollment

That concentration means Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District student-counselor ratio is 194:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District chronic absenteeism rate is 13.7% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

3.5%
Federal
25.0%
State
71.6%
Local

Funding Equity

44
Equity Score
496 / 941
State Rank
45
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.

White 69.8%
Hispanic or Latino 15.0%
African American 3.3%
Asian 9.8%
Multiracial 1.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 47.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District's schools, above the New York average of 45.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Grand Avenue Middle School 53.4
  2. 2 Wellington C Mepham High School 51.7
  3. 3 Sanford H Calhoun High School 46.3
  4. 4 John F Kennedy High School 45.0
  5. 5 Merrick Avenue Middle School 42.5

Programs & Resources

3 / 5
Schools with AP
87 AP courses total
193.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
13.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

School Enrollment
Sanford H Calhoun High School
1,219
Wellington C Mepham High School
1,211
John F Kennedy High School
1,089
Grand Avenue Middle School
916
Merrick Avenue Middle School
848

How Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The New York districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Farmingdale Union Free School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Port Washington Union Free School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Rome City School District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Connetquot Central School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in New York

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs New York City Geographic District #31 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District?

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District has 5 schools, including 3 high, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 5,243 students.

How much does Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District spend per student?

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District spends $30,426 per student. The district has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #496 in New York.

What is the demographic composition of Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District?

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District students are 69.8% White, 15.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 3.3% African American, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District?

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #496 out of 941 districts in New York.