Enrollment
644
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Merrick, NY
Norman J Levy Lakeside School
Federal NCES profile for Norman J Levy Lakeside School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 361911001729
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Norman J Levy Lakeside School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median.
- #2 of 7
- public schools in Merrick · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.4:1
- students per teacher
- 5.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Norman J Levy Lakeside School has class sizes near the New York median. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Norman J Levy Lakeside School ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Merrick, NY.
School address
District: Merrick Union Free School District · New York
NCES ID 361911001729 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.9%
vs 56.2% New York avg
-90% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Norman J Levy Lakeside School compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Norman J Levy Lakeside School
Norman J Levy Lakeside School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Merrick, New York, enrolling 644 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.9% free-meal eligibility runs 90% below the New York average.
Enrollment of 644 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 4,801 New York schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 324 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New York schools statewide, it ranks #26, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 29/100).
14.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Merrick Union Free School District spends $32,488 per pupil, 23% above the New York average, a better-resourced district than most.
Merrick Union Free School District also operates Birch School (588 students) and Chatterton School (451 students) alongside Norman J Levy Lakeside 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 Norman J Levy Lakeside School compares
Norman J Levy Lakeside School on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▲ 5% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.9% | ▼ 90% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 644 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
644
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 90% below the New York average of 56.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 65% in New York - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.3%
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
$32,488
per pupil, district-wide
- above New York avg of $26,410
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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
White 83.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
Asian 5.1%
African American 1.4%
Two or More 0.9%
Largest group: White at 83.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.9, Norman J Levy Lakeside School is less mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Merrick Union Free School District, which includes Norman J Levy Lakeside School.
$32,488
Per student
+23%
vs New York
Avg $26,410
+96%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 78.6%
State 19.1%
Federal 2.3%
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 Norman J Levy Lakeside School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birch School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chatterton School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Norman J Levy Lakeside School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 451
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~644 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Norman J Levy Lakeside School's federal record.
- Compare Norman J Levy Lakeside School against another school. Compare schools
- Merrick Union Free 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 Norman J Levy Lakeside School
How many students attend Norman J Levy Lakeside School?
Norman J Levy Lakeside School has 644 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Merrick, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Norman J Levy Lakeside School?
The student-teacher ratio at Norman J Levy Lakeside School is 12.4:1, which is 5% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 21% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Norman J Levy Lakeside School?
5.9% of students at Norman J Levy Lakeside School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Norman J Levy Lakeside School?
The largest demographic group at Norman J Levy Lakeside School is White at 83.7% of enrollment, in Merrick, NY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Norman J Levy Lakeside School?
Norman J Levy Lakeside School has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Norman J Levy Lakeside School rank among public schools in Merrick?
By Resource Investment Index, Norman J Levy Lakeside School ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Merrick, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Merrick on the city page.
Is Norman J Levy Lakeside School a good school?
Norman J Levy Lakeside School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median. 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 Merrick Union Free School District?
Besides Norman J Levy Lakeside School, Merrick Union Free School District also operates Birch School (588 students) and Chatterton School (451 students). See the Merrick Union Free 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.