- Enrollment
- 578
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Merrimac, MA
Helen R Donaghue School
Federal NCES profile for Helen R Donaghue School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 250945000406
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Helen R Donaghue School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Massachusetts median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Massachusetts schools.
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.9:1
- students per teacher
- 262
- students enrolled
Helen R Donaghue School has class sizes near the Massachusetts median. Computed live against every Massachusetts school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Pentucket · Massachusetts
NCES ID 250945000406 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-5 students YoY
Helen R Donaghue School held near 245 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 22.2 → 22.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-5 students YoY 250945000406 · Merrimac, MA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
262 enr · 11.9:1 · RII 46
Nearest enrollment peer: Pentucket Regional Sr High (578 students)
Helen R Donaghue School held near 245 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount). Teacher FTE held 22.2 → 22.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Massachusetts schools → · Find another →
Helen R Donaghue School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Pentucket Regi
Pentucket Regional Sr High
578 students
- Elmer S Bagnal
Elmer S Bagnall
519 students
- Pentucket Regi
Pentucket Regional Middle
335 students
- Dr John C Page
Dr John C Page School
327 students
- This school
Helen R Donaghue School
262 students
- Dr Frederick N 217
Dr Frederick N Sweetsir
217 students
What this shows Helen R Donaghue School reports 262 students on the CCD universe file.
How Helen R Donaghue School compares
Helen R Donaghue School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Massachusetts and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Massachusetts | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.9:1 | ▼ 3% | 12.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 262 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
262
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 50% in Massachusetts - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
18.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$19,437
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 262 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 87.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
Two or More 2.3%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: White at 87.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.0, Helen R Donaghue School is less mixed than the Massachusetts school average of 47.3.
Programs
District finance for Pentucket reports $19,437 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Helen R Donaghue School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pentucket Regional Sr High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Elmer S Bagnall | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pentucket Regional Middle | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dr John C Page School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dr Frederick N Sweetsir | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Helen R Donaghue School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 519
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 335
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 327
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 217
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~262 students)
Frequently asked questions about Helen R Donaghue School
How many students attend Helen R Donaghue School?
Helen R Donaghue School has 262 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Merrimac, MA. CCD year-over-year: 250 (2022-23) → 245 (2023-24), nearly flat (-5).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Helen R Donaghue School?
The student-teacher ratio at Helen R Donaghue School is 11.9:1, which is 3% lower than the Massachusetts average of 12.3:1 and 24% 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 Helen R Donaghue School?
The largest demographic group at Helen R Donaghue School is White at 87.8% of enrollment, in Merrimac, MA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Helen R Donaghue School?
Helen R Donaghue School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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).
What other schools are in Pentucket?
Besides Helen R Donaghue School, Pentucket also operates Pentucket Regional Sr High (578 students), Elmer S Bagnall (519 students), and Pentucket Regional Middle (335 students). See the Pentucket district page for the complete list.