- Enrollment
- 1,890
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Malden, MA
Forestdale
Federal NCES profile for Forestdale, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 250717001351
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 72
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forestdale earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Massachusetts median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Massachusetts schools.
- #1 of 5
- elementary schools in Malden · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- students per teacher
- 539
- students enrolled
Forestdale has class sizes near the Massachusetts median. Computed live against every Massachusetts school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forestdale ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Malden, MA.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-44 students YoY
Forestdale shrank from 594 students in 2022-23 to 550 in 2023-24 (-7.4%).
Teacher FTE lost 50.6 → 46.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-44 students YoY 250717001351 · Malden, MA Elementary · MID · TRAD
539 enr · 10.8:1 · RII 43
Nearest enrollment peer: Malden High (1,890 students)
Forestdale shrank from 594 students in 2022-23 to 550 in 2023-24 (-7.4%). Teacher FTE lost 50.6 → 46.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Massachusetts schools → · Find another →
Forestdale in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Malden High
Malden High
1,890 students
- Salemwood
Salemwood
1,033 students
- Beebe
Beebe
921 students
- Ferryway
Ferryway
920 students
- Linden
Linden
813 students
- This school 539
Forestdale
539 students
What this shows Forestdale reports 539 students on the CCD universe file.
How Forestdale compares
Forestdale is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Massachusetts and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Massachusetts | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.8:1 | ▼ 12% | 12.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 539 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
539
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 31% in Massachusetts - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
35.3%
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
$19,739
per pupil, district-wide
- below Massachusetts avg of $23,695
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.8 FTE
Per 142 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 37.8%
Hispanic or Latino 26.2%
African American 15.6%
Asian 12.1%
Two or More 8.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 37.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.3, Forestdale is more mixed than the Massachusetts school average of 47.3.
Programs
District finance for Malden reports $19,739 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Forestdale Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malden High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Salemwood | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beebe | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ferryway | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Linden | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Forestdale's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 921
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 920
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 813
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Malden
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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 (~539 students)
Frequently asked questions about Forestdale
How many students attend Forestdale?
Forestdale has 539 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Malden, MA. CCD year-over-year: 594 (2022-23) → 550 (2023-24), down 44.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forestdale?
The student-teacher ratio at Forestdale is 10.8:1, which is 12% lower than the Massachusetts average of 12.3:1 and 31% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forestdale?
The largest demographic group at Forestdale is White at 37.8% of enrollment, in Malden, MA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forestdale?
Forestdale has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Forestdale rank among elementary schools in Malden?
By Resource Investment Index, Forestdale ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Malden, MA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Malden on the city page.
What other schools are in Malden?
Besides Forestdale, Malden also operates Malden High (1,890 students), Salemwood (1,033 students), and Beebe (921 students). See the Malden district page for the complete list.