Enrollment
331
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lakewood, NJ
Clifton Ave Grade School
Federal NCES profile for Clifton Ave Grade School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 340822004638
👥 S:T ratio 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Clifton Ave Grade School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of New Jersey schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Lakewood · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 7.4:1
- small classes for New Jersey
- 85.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Clifton Ave Grade School has class sizes smaller than 95% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Clifton Ave Grade School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Lakewood, NJ.
School address
District: Lakewood Township School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 340822004638 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7.4:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.2%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+188% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Clifton Ave Grade School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Clifton Ave Grade School
Clifton Ave Grade School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Lakewood, New Jersey, enrolling 331 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7.4:1, Clifton Ave Grade School is leaner than roughly 95% of New Jersey schools and 37% under the state's 11.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 85.2% of students qualify for free meals, 188% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 331 puts it in the smaller third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Among 63 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #5, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (86% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 25/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 331 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
14.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Lakewood Township School District spends $41,962 per pupil, 68% above the New Jersey average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 36.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lakewood's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ocean Academy Charter School (551 students): Clifton Ave Grade School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (7.4:1 vs 14.1:1).
Lakewood Township School District also operates Lakewood High School (1,295 students) and Lakewood Middle School (574 students) alongside Clifton Ave Grade School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Clifton Ave Grade School compares
Clifton Ave Grade School on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 7.4:1 | ▼ 37% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.2% | ▲ 188% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 331 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.4:1
Leaner classes than 96% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
331
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 188% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
7.4:1
students per teacher
- 37% below state mean
Top 5% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$41,962
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 331 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 86.4%
African American 6.3%
White 4.5%
Asian 2.1%
Two or More 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 86.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.7, Clifton Ave Grade School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lakewood Township School District, which includes Clifton Ave Grade School.
$41,962
Per student
+68%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+153%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.6%
State 32.3%
Federal 36.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Clifton Ave Grade School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakewood Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Spruce Street Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Oak Street Elem School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Piner Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Clifton Ave Grade School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,295
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 574
- Students per teacher
- 6.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 554
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 513
- Students per teacher
- 6.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 364
- Students per teacher
- 6.9:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar elementary schools in Lakewood
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~331 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Clifton Ave Grade School's federal record.
- Compare Clifton Ave Grade School against another school. Compare schools
- Lakewood Township School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Clifton Ave Grade School
How many students attend Clifton Ave Grade School?
Clifton Ave Grade School has 331 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lakewood, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Clifton Ave Grade School?
The student-teacher ratio at Clifton Ave Grade School is 7.4:1, which is 37% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 53% 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 Clifton Ave Grade School?
85.2% of students at Clifton Ave Grade School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Clifton Ave Grade School?
The largest demographic group at Clifton Ave Grade School is Hispanic or Latino at 86.4% of enrollment, in Lakewood, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Clifton Ave Grade School?
Clifton Ave Grade School has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Clifton Ave Grade School rank among elementary schools in Lakewood?
By Resource Investment Index, Clifton Ave Grade School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Lakewood, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Lakewood on the city page.
Is Clifton Ave Grade School a good school?
Clifton Ave Grade School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of New Jersey schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Lakewood Township School District?
Besides Clifton Ave Grade School, Lakewood Township School District also operates Lakewood High School (1,295 students), Lakewood Middle School (574 students), and Spruce Street Elementary School (554 students). See the Lakewood Township School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.