- Enrollment
- 680
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newton, NJ
Merriam Avenue School
Federal NCES profile for Merriam Avenue School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341140005388
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Merriam Avenue School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Newton · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.7:1
- students per teacher
- 34.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Merriam Avenue School has class sizes near the New Jersey median. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Merriam Avenue School ranks #5 of 5 schools in Newton, NJ.
School address
District: Newton Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341140005388 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+66 students YoY
Merriam Avenue School grew from 458 students in 2022-23 to 524 in 2023-24 (+14.4%).
Teacher FTE added 45.0 → 46.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+66 students YoY 341140005388 · Newton, NJ Other · SMALL · TRAD
483 enr · 10.7:1 · 34.9% lunch · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: Newton High School (680 students)
Merriam Avenue School grew from 458 students in 2022-23 to 524 in 2023-24 (+14.4%). Teacher FTE added 45.0 → 46.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Jersey schools → · Find another →
Merriam Avenue School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Newton High Sc
Newton High School
680 students
- This school
Merriam Avenue School
483 students
- Halsted Middle
Halsted Middle School
280 students
What this shows Merriam Avenue School reports 483 students on the CCD universe file.
How Merriam Avenue School compares
Merriam Avenue 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 | 10.7:1 | ▼ 9% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.9% | ▲ 18% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 483 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.7:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
483
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
34.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% above 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
10.7:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 40% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
27.7%
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
$24,261
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 483 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 43.1%
Hispanic or Latino 42.2%
African American 6.2%
Two or More 5.6%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 43.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.9, Merriam Avenue School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Newton Public School District reports $24,261 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Merriam Avenue School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Halsted Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Merriam Avenue School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 280
- Students per teacher
- 7.8:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
Similar other schools in Newton
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~483 students)
Frequently asked questions about Merriam Avenue School
How many students attend Merriam Avenue School?
Merriam Avenue School has 483 students enrolled. It is a public school in Newton, NJ. CCD year-over-year: 458 (2022-23) → 524 (2023-24), up 66.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Merriam Avenue School?
The student-teacher ratio at Merriam Avenue School is 10.7:1, which is 9% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 32% 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 Merriam Avenue School?
34.9% of students at Merriam Avenue School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Merriam Avenue School?
The largest demographic group at Merriam Avenue School is White at 43.1% of enrollment, in Newton, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Merriam Avenue School?
Merriam Avenue School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Merriam Avenue School rank among schools in Newton?
By Resource Investment Index, Merriam Avenue School ranks #5 of 5 schools in Newton, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Newton on the city page.
What other schools are in Newton Public School District?
Besides Merriam Avenue School, Newton Public School District also operates Newton High School (680 students) and Halsted Middle School (280 students). See the Newton Public School District district page for the complete list.