Lacey Township 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.

Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey - 6 schools

An equity score of 46/100 ranks Lacey Township School District #338 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $22,668 per pupil, Lacey Township School District ranks #407 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,832
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$22,668
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lacey Township School District operates 6 public schools serving 3,832 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 1 high, 1 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 Ocean County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $22,668 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending. See how New Jersey compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 55.7% local, 37.5% state, and 6.8% 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 46/100, ranked #338 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (36 AP courses district-wide), a 379.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 16.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 81.0% White, 12.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Forked River Elementary School, with a diversity index of 38.5/100.

Its largest campus is Lacey Township High School, enrolling 1,119 students (29% of the district's total enrollment).

Lacey Township High School accounts for 28.6% of all Lacey Township School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Lacey Township 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

Lacey Township School District school enrollment varies 2.6× across entities

Lacey Township School District school enrollment ranges from 432 students (lowest) to 1,119 students (highest), a spread of 687 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

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

Lacey Township School District student-counselor ratio is 380:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Lacey Township School District chronic absenteeism rate is 16.9% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Lacey Township School District is typically wider than the Lacey Township School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

6.8%
Federal
37.5%
State
55.7%
Local

Funding Equity

46
Equity Score
338 / 587
State Rank
50
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 6 schools in Lacey Township School District.

White 81.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.8%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 3.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 32.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Lacey Township School District's schools, below the New Jersey average of 51.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Forked River Elementary School 38.5
  2. 2 Mill Pond Elementary School 32.3
  3. 3 Lacey Township High School 31.9
  4. 4 Lanoka Harbor Elementary School 31.6
  5. 5 Cedar Creek Elementary School 31.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
36 AP courses total
379.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Lacey Township School District

School Enrollment
Lacey Township High School
1,119
Lacey Township Middle School
819
Mill Pond Elementary School
599
Forked River Elementary School
479
Lanoka Harbor Elementary School
465
Cedar Creek Elementary School
432

How Lacey Township School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Pleasantville Public School District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Teaneck School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Princeton Public School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Moorestown Township Public School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Willingboro Public School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Nearby Districts in New Jersey

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

Newark Public School District
41,672 students · 63 schools · $25,301/pupil
Compare vs Lacey Township School District →
Elizabeth Public Schools
28,266 students · 37 schools · $24,380/pupil
Compare vs Lacey Township School District →
Jersey City Public Schools
26,647 students · 39 schools · $26,862/pupil
Compare vs Lacey Township School District →

Compare Lacey Township School District

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

Compare vs Newark Public School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Lacey Township School District?

Lacey Township School District has 6 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 3,832 students.

How much does Lacey Township School District spend per student?

Lacey Township School District spends $22,668 per student. The district has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #338 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Lacey Township School District?

Lacey Township School District students are 81.0% White, 12.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lacey Township School District?

Lacey Township School District has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #338 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.