Merrick Union Free 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.

Merrick, New York - 3 schools

An equity score of 46/100 ranks Merrick Union Free School District #454 of 941 districts in New York (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $32,488 per pupil, Merrick Union Free School District ranks #134 of 999 New York districts by per-pupil spending (New York districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,664
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$32,488
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Merrick Union Free School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,664 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New York. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 elementary 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 $32,488 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 78.6% local, 19.1% state, and 2.3% 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 #454 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.

a 1731.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 10.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 78.0% White, 10.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Chatterton School, with a diversity index of 45.9/100.

Its largest campus is Norman J Levy Lakeside School, enrolling 644 students (38% of the district's total enrollment).

Norman J Levy Lakeside School accounts for 38.3% of all Merrick Union Free School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Merrick Union Free School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Merrick Union Free School District student-counselor ratio is 1732:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

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

Merrick Union Free School District chronic absenteeism rate is 10.4% — 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?

2.3%
Federal
19.1%
State
78.6%
Local

Funding Equity

46
Equity Score
454 / 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 3 schools in Merrick Union Free School District.

White 78.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.4%
African American 2.2%
Asian 7.0%
Multiracial 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 37.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Merrick Union Free School District's schools, below the New York average of 45.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Chatterton School 45.9
  2. 2 Birch School 36.7
  3. 3 Norman J Levy Lakeside School 28.9

Programs & Resources

1731.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
10.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Merrick Union Free School District

School Enrollment
Norman J Levy Lakeside School
644
Birch School
588
Chatterton School
451

How Merrick Union Free School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Oneonta City School District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Greenburgh Central School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Rondout Valley Central School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
New Hyde Park-Garden City Park Union Free School District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Windsor Central School District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Merrick Union Free 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 Merrick Union Free 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 Merrick Union Free School District?

Merrick Union Free School District has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 1,664 students.

How much does Merrick Union Free School District spend per student?

Merrick Union Free School District spends $32,488 per student. The district has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #454 in New York.

What is the demographic composition of Merrick Union Free School District?

Merrick Union Free School District students are 78.0% White, 10.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 2.2% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Merrick Union Free School District?

Merrick Union Free School District has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #454 out of 941 districts in New York.