- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Saddle Brook, NJ
Helen I. Smith School
Federal NCES profile for Helen I. Smith School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 341449000828
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Helen I. Smith School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Saddle Brook · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.7:1
- students per teacher
- 13.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Helen I. Smith School has class sizes near the New Jersey median. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Helen I. Smith School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Saddle Brook, NJ.
School address
District: Saddle Brook School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341449000828 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+17 students YoY
Helen I. Smith School grew from 325 students in 2022-23 to 342 in 2023-24 (+5.2%).
Teacher FTE held 29.8 → 29.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+17 students YoY 341449000828 · Saddle Brook, NJ Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
340 enr · 11.7:1 · 13.5% lunch · RII 56
Nearest enrollment peer: Saddle Brook Middle/High School (806 students)
Helen I. Smith School grew from 325 students in 2022-23 to 342 in 2023-24 (+5.2%). Teacher FTE held 29.8 → 29.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Jersey schools → · Find another →
Helen I. Smith School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Saddle Brook M
Saddle Brook Middle/High School
806 students
- This school
Helen I. Smith School
340 students
- Franklin Schoo
Franklin School
328 students
- Salome H. Long 304
Salome H. Long Memorial School
304 students
- Washington Sch 58
Washington School
58 students
What this shows Helen I. Smith School reports 340 students on the CCD universe file.
How Helen I. Smith School compares
Helen I. Smith School 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 | 11.7:1 | ▼ 1% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.5% | ▼ 54% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 340 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
340
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
13.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% below the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 56% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
13.2%
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
$23,030
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 340 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.
Student demographics
White 52.1%
Hispanic or Latino 36.2%
Asian 5.3%
African American 3.8%
Two or More 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 52.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Helen I. Smith School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Saddle Brook School District reports $23,030 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Helen I. Smith School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saddle Brook Middle/High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Franklin School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Salome H. Long Memorial School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Helen I. Smith School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 328
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 304
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 58
- Students per teacher
- 9.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
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 (~340 students)
Frequently asked questions about Helen I. Smith School
How many students attend Helen I. Smith School?
Helen I. Smith School has 340 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Saddle Brook, NJ. CCD year-over-year: 325 (2022-23) → 342 (2023-24), up 17.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Helen I. Smith School?
The student-teacher ratio at Helen I. Smith School is 11.7:1, which is 1% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 25% 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 Helen I. Smith School?
13.5% of students at Helen I. Smith School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Helen I. Smith School?
The largest demographic group at Helen I. Smith School is White at 52.1% of enrollment, in Saddle Brook, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Helen I. Smith School?
Helen I. Smith School has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher 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 Helen I. Smith School rank among elementary schools in Saddle Brook?
By Resource Investment Index, Helen I. Smith School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Saddle Brook, 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 Saddle Brook on the city page.
What other schools are in Saddle Brook School District?
Besides Helen I. Smith School, Saddle Brook School District also operates Saddle Brook Middle/High School (806 students), Franklin School (328 students), and Salome H. Long Memorial School (304 students). See the Saddle Brook School District district page for the complete list.