Enrollment
613
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · S Orange, NJ
South Mountain Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Mountain Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 68/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341533002442
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Mountain Elementary School earns 68/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of New Jersey schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in S Orange · Resource Index
- 68
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.6:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 1.8%
- free-lunch eligible
South Mountain Elementary School has class sizes larger than 72% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Mountain Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in S Orange, NJ.
School address
District: South Orange-Maplewood School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341533002442 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 11.6:1 New Jersey avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
1.8%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
-94% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Mountain Elementary School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Mountain Elementary School
South Mountain Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in S Orange, New Jersey, enrolling 613 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 12.6:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 1.8% free-meal eligibility runs 94% below the New Jersey average.
Enrollment of 613 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 2,504 New Jersey schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 476 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #30, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Two or More (13%) (diversity index 60/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
South Orange-Maplewood School District also operates Columbia High School (1,985 students) and Maplewood Middle School (762 students) alongside South Mountain Elementary 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 South Mountain Elementary School compares
South Mountain Elementary School 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 | 12.6:1 | ▲ 9% | 11.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 1.8% | ▼ 94% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 613 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 73% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
613
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
1.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 94% below the New Jersey average of 29.6%
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
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 72% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
6.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$22,813
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 59.6%
Two or More 13.4%
African American 12.3%
Hispanic or Latino 10.8%
Asian 3.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 59.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.9, South Mountain Elementary School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Orange-Maplewood School District, which includes South Mountain Elementary School.
$22,813
Per student
-9%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.1%
State 24.6%
Federal 3.3%
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 South Mountain Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Maplewood Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Orange Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Clinton Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tuscan Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Mountain Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,985
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 762
- Students per teacher
- 9.1:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 9.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 542
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 70/100
- Enrollment
- 531
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Mountain Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Mountain Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- South Orange-Maplewood 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 South Mountain Elementary School
How many students attend South Mountain Elementary School?
South Mountain Elementary School has 613 students enrolled. It is a public school in S Orange, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Mountain Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Mountain Elementary School is 12.6:1, which is 9% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.6:1 and 20% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Mountain Elementary School?
1.8% of students at South Mountain Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Mountain Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Mountain Elementary School is White at 59.6% of enrollment, in S Orange, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Mountain Elementary School?
South Mountain Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 68/100 (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 South Mountain Elementary School rank among public schools in S Orange?
By Resource Investment Index, South Mountain Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in S Orange, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in S Orange on the city page.
Is South Mountain Elementary School a good school?
South Mountain Elementary School earns 68/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 South Orange-Maplewood School District?
Besides South Mountain Elementary School, South Orange-Maplewood School District also operates Columbia High School (1,985 students), Maplewood Middle School (762 students), and South Orange Middle School (752 students). See the South Orange-Maplewood 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.