- Enrollment
- 1,925
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Montclair, NJ
Watchung Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Watchung Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 341056002184
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Watchung Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median.
- #3 of 4
- elementary schools in Montclair · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.3:1
- students per teacher
- 7.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Watchung Elementary School has class sizes near the New Jersey median. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Watchung Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Montclair, NJ.
School address
District: Montclair Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341056002184 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-9 students YoY
Watchung Elementary School held near 385 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-9 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 33.0 → 33.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-9 students YoY 341056002184 · Montclair, NJ Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
406 enr · 12.3:1 · 7.9% lunch · RII 45
Nearest enrollment peer: Montclair High School (1,925 students)
Watchung Elementary School held near 385 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-9 headcount). Teacher FTE held 33.0 → 33.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Jersey schools → · Find another →
Watchung Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Montclair High
Montclair High School
1,925 students
- Hillside Eleme 684
Hillside Elementary School
684 students
- Buzz Aldrin Mi 618
Buzz Aldrin Middle School
618 students
- Glenfield Midd 512
Glenfield Middle School
512 students
- Charles H. Bul 438
Charles H. Bullock School
438 students
- This school 406
Watchung Elementary School
406 students
What this shows Watchung Elementary School reports 406 students on the CCD universe file.
How Watchung Elementary School compares
Watchung Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.3:1 | ▲ 4% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.9% | ▼ 73% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 406 | top 54% | - | - |
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.
406
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
7.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% below 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
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 66% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
8.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$26,536
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Jersey avg of $26,225
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 406 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
36
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 60.3%
Hispanic or Latino 14.0%
Two or More 11.1%
Asian 7.6%
African American 6.9%
Largest group: White at 60.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.4, Watchung Elementary School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
District finance for Montclair Public School District reports $26,536 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Watchung Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montclair High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hillside Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Buzz Aldrin Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Glenfield Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Charles H. Bullock School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Watchung Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 684
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 618
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 512
- Students per teacher
- 8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
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 (~406 students)
Frequently asked questions about Watchung Elementary School
How many students attend Watchung Elementary School?
Watchung Elementary School has 406 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Montclair, NJ. CCD year-over-year: 394 (2022-23) → 385 (2023-24), nearly flat (-9).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Watchung Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Watchung Elementary School is 12.3:1, which is 4% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Watchung Elementary School?
7.9% of students at Watchung Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Watchung Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Watchung Elementary School is White at 60.3% of enrollment, in Montclair, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Watchung Elementary School?
Watchung Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Watchung Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Montclair?
By Resource Investment Index, Watchung Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Montclair, 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 Montclair on the city page.
What other schools are in Montclair Public School District?
Besides Watchung Elementary School, Montclair Public School District also operates Montclair High School (1,925 students), Hillside Elementary School (684 students), and Buzz Aldrin Middle School (618 students). See the Montclair Public School District district page for the complete list.