Enrollment
115
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Teaneck, NJ
Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 341608003493
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in New Jersey.
- #7 of 7
- elementary schools in Teaneck · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 57.5:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 34.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School has class sizes larger than 99% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School ranks #7 of 7 elementary schools in Teaneck, NJ.
School address
District: Teaneck School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341608003493 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
57.5:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+387% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.6%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School
Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School is a small elementary school in Teaneck, New Jersey, enrolling 115 students.
Class loads run heavy: 57.5:1 is larger than about 99% of New Jersey schools and 387% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 34.6% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of New Jersey schools, with 115 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 41 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #41, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and African American (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Teaneck School District spends $30,779 per pupil, 23% above the New Jersey average, a better-resourced district than most.
Teaneck School District also operates Teaneck High School (1,244 students) and Thomas Jefferson Middle School (510 students) alongside Theodora Smiley Lacey 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 Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School compares
Theodora Smiley Lacey 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 | 57.5:1 | ▲ 387% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.6% | ▲ 17% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 115 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
57.5:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
115
Bigger than 11% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
57.5:1
students per teacher
- 387% above state mean
Top 99% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
42.6%
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
$30,779
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Hispanic or Latino 41.7%
African American 26.1%
White 19.1%
Asian 7.8%
Two or More 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.4, Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Teaneck School District, which includes Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School.
$30,779
Per student
+23%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+85%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.3%
State 24.2%
Federal 9.5%
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 Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaneck High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Franklin Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John Greenleaf Whittier Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,244
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 9.1:1
- Resource Index
- 71/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 7.7:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
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 (~115 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Teaneck 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 Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School
How many students attend Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School?
Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School has 115 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Teaneck, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School is 57.5:1, which is 387% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 266% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School?
34.6% of students at Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 41.7% of enrollment, in Teaneck, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School?
Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower 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 Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Teaneck?
By Resource Investment Index, Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School ranks #7 of 7 elementary schools in Teaneck, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Teaneck on the city page.
Is Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School a good school?
Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in New Jersey. 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 Teaneck School District?
Besides Theodora Smiley Lacey Elementary School, Teaneck School District also operates Teaneck High School (1,244 students), Thomas Jefferson Middle School (510 students), and Benjamin Franklin Middle School (463 students). See the Teaneck 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.