- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Palisades Park, NJ
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center
Federal NCES profile for Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341236000789
👥 S:T ratio 69
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of New Jersey schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Palisades Park · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 7.7:1
- small classes for New Jersey
- 41.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center has class sizes smaller than 94% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Palisades Park, NJ.
School address
District: Palisades Park School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341236000789 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+19 students YoY
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center grew from 242 students in 2022-23 to 261 in 2023-24 (+7.9%).
Teacher FTE added 36.0 → 41.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+19 students YoY 341236000789 · Palisades Park, NJ Other · SMALL · TRAD
277 enr · 7.7:1 · 41.7% lunch · RII 49
Nearest enrollment peer: Lindbergh Elementary School (762 students)
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center grew from 242 students in 2022-23 to 261 in 2023-24 (+7.9%). Teacher FTE added 36.0 → 41.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Jersey schools → · Find another →
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Lindbergh Elem
Lindbergh Elementary School
762 students
- Palisades Park
Palisades Park Jr-Sr High School
747 students
- This school 277
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center
277 students
What this shows Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center reports 277 students on the CCD universe file.
How Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center compares
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 7.7:1 | ▼ 35% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.7% | ▲ 41% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 277 | top 79% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.7:1
Leaner classes than 96% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
277
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
41.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
7.7:1
students per teacher
- 35% below state mean
Top 6% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
20.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$23,200
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Jersey avg of $26,225
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 70.4%
Asian 20.2%
White 7.9%
African American 0.7%
Two or More 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.7, Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
District finance for Palisades Park School District reports $23,200 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lindbergh Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palisades Park Jr-Sr High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 747
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~277 students)
Frequently asked questions about Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center
How many students attend Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center?
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center has 277 students enrolled. It is a public school in Palisades Park, NJ. CCD year-over-year: 242 (2022-23) → 261 (2023-24), up 19.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center is 7.7:1, which is 35% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 51% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center?
41.7% of students at Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center?
The largest demographic group at Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center is Hispanic or Latino at 70.4% of enrollment, in Palisades Park, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center?
Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center rank among public schools in Palisades Park?
By Resource Investment Index, Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Palisades Park, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Palisades Park School District?
Besides Charles R Smith Early Chilhood Center, Palisades Park School District also operates Lindbergh Elementary School (762 students) and Palisades Park Jr-Sr High School (747 students). See the Palisades Park School District district page for the complete list.