- Enrollment
- 1,791
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waltham, MA
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Thomas R Plympton Elementary 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 251200001978
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Massachusetts median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Massachusetts schools.
- #1 of 5
- elementary schools in Waltham · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.2:1
- students per teacher
- 357
- students enrolled
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School has class sizes near the Massachusetts median. Computed live against every Massachusetts school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas R Plympton Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Waltham, MA.
School address
District: Waltham · Massachusetts
NCES ID 251200001978 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-1 students YoY
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School held near 352 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 32.5 → 34.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-1 students YoY 251200001978 · Waltham, MA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
357 enr · 11.2:1 · RII 62
Nearest enrollment peer: Waltham Sr High (1,791 students)
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School held near 352 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount). Teacher FTE added 32.5 → 34.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Massachusetts schools → · Find another →
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Waltham Sr Hig
Waltham Sr High
1,791 students
- John F Kennedy 635
John F Kennedy Middle
635 students
- John W. Mcdevi 618
John W. Mcdevitt Middle School
618 students
- Northeast Elem 527
Northeast Elementary School
527 students
- Douglas Macart 475
Douglas Macarthur Elementary School
475 students
- This school 357
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School
357 students
What this shows Thomas R Plympton Elementary School reports 357 students on the CCD universe file.
How Thomas R Plympton Elementary School compares
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Massachusetts and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Massachusetts | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.2:1 | ▼ 9% | 12.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 357 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
357
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 37% in Massachusetts - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$26,980
per pupil, district-wide
- above Massachusetts avg of $23,695
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 179 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 38.9%
Hispanic or Latino 38.1%
African American 13.4%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 4.2%
Largest group: White at 38.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, Thomas R Plympton Elementary School is more mixed than the Massachusetts school average of 47.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Waltham reports $26,980 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Thomas R Plympton Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waltham Sr High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| John F Kennedy Middle | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| John W. Mcdevitt Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northeast Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Douglas Macarthur Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas R Plympton Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 635
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 618
- Students per teacher
- 8.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 527
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 475
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar elementary schools in Waltham
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Douglas Macarthur Elementary School
Standard public school
475 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Henry Whittemore Elementary School
Standard public school
372 students 9.3:1 students per teacher
James Fitzgerald Elementary School
Standard public school
350 students 9.5:1 students per teacher
Waltham Public Schools Dual Language Program
Standard public school
222 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~357 students)
Frequently asked questions about Thomas R Plympton Elementary School
How many students attend Thomas R Plympton Elementary School?
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School has 357 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waltham, MA. CCD year-over-year: 353 (2022-23) → 352 (2023-24), nearly flat (-1).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas R Plympton Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas R Plympton Elementary School is 11.2:1, which is 9% lower than the Massachusetts average of 12.3:1 and 29% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas R Plympton Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas R Plympton Elementary School is White at 38.9% of enrollment, in Waltham, MA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas R Plympton Elementary School?
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Thomas R Plympton Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Waltham?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas R Plympton Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Waltham, MA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Waltham on the city page.
What other schools are in Waltham?
Besides Thomas R Plympton Elementary School, Waltham also operates Waltham Sr High (1,791 students), John F Kennedy Middle (635 students), and John W. Mcdevitt Middle School (618 students). See the Waltham district page for the complete list.