Enrollment
332
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Manahawkin, NJ
Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341569000796
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of New Jersey schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Manahawkin · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 14.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center has class sizes larger than 84% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center ranks #2 of 3 schools in Manahawkin, NJ.
School address
District: Stafford Township School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341569000796 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.0%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
-53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center
Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Manahawkin, New Jersey, enrolling 332 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 14.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 332 puts it in the smaller third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 666 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #659, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (80%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 34/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 332 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Manahawkin's public schools, it stands alongside Ocean Acres Elementary School (747 students): Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 14.9:1).
Stafford Township School District also operates Ocean Acres Elementary School (747 students) and Stafford Intermediate School (657 students) alongside Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center.
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 Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center compares
Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▲ 17% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.0% | ▼ 53% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 332 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
332
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 84% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.3%
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
$22,010
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 332 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.
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 79.8%
Hispanic or Latino 15.1%
Two or More 2.4%
Asian 1.8%
African American 0.9%
Largest group: White at 79.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.9, Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Stafford Township School District, which includes Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center.
$22,010
Per student
-12%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 55.5%
State 38.1%
Federal 6.4%
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 Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Acres Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stafford Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mckinley Avenue Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Oxycocus Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 747
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 657
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 630
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 176
- Students per teacher
- 9.3:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
Similar other schools in Manahawkin
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~332 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Stafford Township 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 Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center
How many students attend Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center?
Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center has 332 students enrolled. It is a public school in Manahawkin, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center is 13.8:1, which is 17% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center?
14.0% of students at Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center is White at 79.8% of enrollment, in Manahawkin, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center?
Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center rank among schools in Manahawkin?
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center ranks #2 of 3 schools in Manahawkin, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Manahawkin on the city page.
Is Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center a good school?
Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of New Jersey schools. 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 Stafford Township School District?
Besides Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center, Stafford Township School District also operates Ocean Acres Elementary School (747 students), Stafford Intermediate School (657 students), and Mckinley Avenue Elementary School (630 students). See the Stafford Township 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.