Enrollment
496
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · South River, NJ
South River Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South River Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 341539000236
👥 S:T ratio 67
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South River Elementary School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% of New Jersey schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in South River · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 8.3:1
- small classes for New Jersey
- 50.1%
- free-lunch eligible
South River Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 91% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South River Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in South River, NJ.
School address
District: South River Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341539000236 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.3:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.1%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South River Elementary School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at South River Elementary School
South River Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in South River, New Jersey, enrolling 496 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.3:1, South River Elementary School is leaner than roughly 91% of New Jersey schools and 30% under the state's 11.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 50.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 496 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 317 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #69.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and White (39%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 248 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding South River Public School District spends $19,934 per pupil, 20% below the New Jersey average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
South River Public School District also operates South River High School (716 students) and South River Middle School (524 students) alongside South River 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 River Elementary School compares
South River 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 | 8.3:1 | ▼ 30% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.1% | ▲ 69% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 496 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.3:1
Leaner classes than 94% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
496
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.3:1
students per teacher
- 30% below state mean
Top 9% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.2%
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
$19,934
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 248 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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
Hispanic or Latino 47.8%
White 39.1%
African American 8.3%
Two or More 3.2%
Asian 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.1, South River 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 River Public School District, which includes South River Elementary School.
$19,934
Per student
-20%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.9%
State 55.0%
Federal 10.1%
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 River Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South River High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South River Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South River Primary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South River Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 716
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 524
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 508
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary 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 (~496 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South River Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South River Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- South River Public 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 River Elementary School
How many students attend South River Elementary School?
South River Elementary School has 496 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in South River, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South River Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South River Elementary School is 8.3:1, which is 30% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 47% 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 South River Elementary School?
50.1% of students at South River 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 River Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South River Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 47.8% of enrollment, in South River, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South River Elementary School?
South River Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher 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 South River Elementary School rank among public schools in South River?
By Resource Investment Index, South River Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in South River, 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 South River on the city page.
Is South River Elementary School a good school?
South River Elementary School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% 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 River Public School District?
Besides South River Elementary School, South River Public School District also operates South River High School (716 students), South River Middle School (524 students), and South River Primary School (508 students). See the South River Public 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.