- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Shrewsbury, MA
Walter J. Paton School
Federal NCES profile for Walter J. Paton School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 251077001719
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walter J. Paton School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Massachusetts median.
- #2 of 6
- elementary schools in Shrewsbury · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- students per teacher
- 269
- students enrolled
Walter J. Paton School has class sizes near the Massachusetts median. Computed live against every Massachusetts school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walter J. Paton School ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in Shrewsbury, MA.
School address
District: Shrewsbury · Massachusetts
NCES ID 251077001719 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-21 students YoY
Walter J. Paton School shrank from 291 students in 2022-23 to 270 in 2023-24 (-7.2%).
Teacher FTE lost 25.1 → 24.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-21 students YoY 251077001719 · Shrewsbury, MA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
269 enr · 10.8:1 · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Shrewsbury High School (1,891 students)
Walter J. Paton School shrank from 291 students in 2022-23 to 270 in 2023-24 (-7.2%). Teacher FTE lost 25.1 → 24.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Massachusetts schools → · Find another →
Walter J. Paton School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Shrewsbury Hig
Shrewsbury High School
1,891 students
- Sherwood Middl
Sherwood Middle School
951 students
- Oak Middle Sch
Oak Middle School
914 students
- Major Howard W 623
Major Howard W. Beal School
623 students
- Floral Street 524
Floral Street School
524 students
- This school 269
Walter J. Paton School
269 students
What this shows Walter J. Paton School reports 269 students on the CCD universe file.
How Walter J. Paton School compares
Walter J. Paton School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Massachusetts and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Massachusetts | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.8:1 | ▼ 12% | 12.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 269 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
269
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 31% in Massachusetts - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$18,706
per pupil, district-wide
- below Massachusetts avg of $23,695
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 269 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 59.7%
Asian 19.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
Two or More 8.2%
African American 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 59.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.1, Walter J. Paton School is more mixed than the Massachusetts school average of 47.3.
Programs
District finance for Shrewsbury reports $18,706 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Walter J. Paton School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shrewsbury High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sherwood Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Oak Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Major Howard W. Beal School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Floral Street School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walter J. Paton School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 951
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 914
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 524
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Shrewsbury
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sherwood Middle School
Standard public school
951 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Major Howard W. Beal School
Standard public school
623 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Floral Street School
Standard public school
524 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Spring Street School
Standard public school
304 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Calvin Coolidge School
Standard public school
287 students 13:1 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 (~269 students)
Frequently asked questions about Walter J. Paton School
How many students attend Walter J. Paton School?
Walter J. Paton School has 269 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Shrewsbury, MA. CCD year-over-year: 291 (2022-23) → 270 (2023-24), down 21.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter J. Paton School?
The student-teacher ratio at Walter J. Paton School is 10.8:1, which is 12% lower than the Massachusetts average of 12.3:1 and 31% 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 Walter J. Paton School?
The largest demographic group at Walter J. Paton School is White at 59.7% of enrollment, in Shrewsbury, MA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walter J. Paton School?
Walter J. Paton School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical 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 Walter J. Paton School rank among elementary schools in Shrewsbury?
By Resource Investment Index, Walter J. Paton School ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in Shrewsbury, 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 Shrewsbury on the city page.
What other schools are in Shrewsbury?
Besides Walter J. Paton School, Shrewsbury also operates Shrewsbury High School (1,891 students), Sherwood Middle School (951 students), and Oak Middle School (914 students). See the Shrewsbury district page for the complete list.