Enrollment
504
New Hampshire · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Merrimack, NH
Thorntons Ferry School
Federal NCES profile for Thorntons Ferry School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 330474000280
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thorntons Ferry School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of New Hampshire schools.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Merrimack · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.3:1
- large classes for New Hampshire
- 7.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Thorntons Ferry School has class sizes larger than 72% of New Hampshire schools. Computed live against every New Hampshire school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thorntons Ferry School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Merrimack, NH.
School address
District: Merrimack School District · New Hampshire
NCES ID 330474000280 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.3:1
vs 11.3:1 New Hampshire avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
7.2%
vs 21.5% New Hampshire avg
-67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thorntons Ferry School compares with New Hampshire and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thorntons Ferry School
Thorntons Ferry School is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Merrimack, New Hampshire, enrolling 504 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 12.3:1 puts it in the larger third of New Hampshire schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 7.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 504 puts it in the larger third of New Hampshire schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 500 scored New Hampshire schools.
Among 125 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Hampshire schools statewide, it ranks #92, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 26/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 504 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Merrimack School District spends $20,427 per pupil, 28% below the New Hampshire average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Merrimack's public schools, it stands alongside Reeds Ferry School (504 students): Thorntons Ferry School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.3:1 vs 13.3:1).
Merrimack School District also operates Merrimack High School (1,057 students) and James Mastricola Upper Elementary School (533 students) alongside Thorntons Ferry 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 Thorntons Ferry School compares
Thorntons Ferry School on the metrics families compare, against New Hampshire and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Hampshire | New Hampshire avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.3:1 | ▲ 9% | 11.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.2% | ▼ 67% | 21.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 504 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.3:1
Leaner classes than 73% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
504
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
7.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% below the New Hampshire average of 21.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 72% in New Hampshire - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
28.6%
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
$20,427
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Hampshire avg of $28,358
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 504 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 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 85.7%
Two or More 6.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%
Asian 1.2%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 85.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.8, Thorntons Ferry School is about as mixed as the New Hampshire school average of 24.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Merrimack School District, which includes Thorntons Ferry School.
$20,427
Per student
-28%
vs New Hampshire
Avg $28,358
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 71.4%
State 22.9%
Federal 5.7%
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 Thorntons Ferry School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merrimack High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James Mastricola Upper Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Reeds Ferry School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Merrimack Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| James Mastricola Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thorntons Ferry School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,057
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 533
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 504
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 480
- Students per teacher
- 9.6:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 375
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Merrimack
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 Hampshire, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~504 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thorntons Ferry School's federal record.
- Compare Thorntons Ferry School against another school. Compare schools
- Merrimack 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 Thorntons Ferry School
How many students attend Thorntons Ferry School?
Thorntons Ferry School has 504 students enrolled. It is a public school in Merrimack, NH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thorntons Ferry School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thorntons Ferry School is 12.3:1, which is 9% higher than the New Hampshire average of 11.3:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thorntons Ferry School?
7.2% of students at Thorntons Ferry School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Hampshire average of 21.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thorntons Ferry School?
The largest demographic group at Thorntons Ferry School is White at 85.7% of enrollment, in Merrimack, NH.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thorntons Ferry School?
Thorntons Ferry School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Thorntons Ferry School rank among schools in Merrimack?
By Resource Investment Index, Thorntons Ferry School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Merrimack, NH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Merrimack on the city page.
Is Thorntons Ferry School a good school?
Thorntons Ferry School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of New Hampshire 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 Merrimack School District?
Besides Thorntons Ferry School, Merrimack School District also operates Merrimack High School (1,057 students), James Mastricola Upper Elementary School (533 students), and Reeds Ferry School (504 students). See the Merrimack 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.