Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 39 schools in district

Chaplain Charles Watters School

220 VIRGINIA AVE, JERSEY CITY, NJ 07304Jersey City Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
697
Students
Total enrolled
$35,033
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 144% vs nat'l
15.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 697 students in grades PK–08 in JERSEY CITY, New Jersey.
144% above average funding
District spends $35,033 per pupil, 144% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 47th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Chaplain Charles Watters School is a large elementary in JERSEY CITY, New Jersey, serving grades PK–08 with 697 students. The district invests $35,033 per student — 144% above the national average of $14,347, with a 15.5:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 58% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Chaplain Charles Watters School

697
Total Students
15.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
58%
Free Lunch
45
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution353 male · 344 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility58%
National avg 52% · 403 students
Student Composition
9%
15%
32%
41%
Asian9%
White15%
Hispanic / Latino32%
Black41%
Multiracial2%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 340783002808

Academic Outcomes at Chaplain Charles Watters School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
47
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 47th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 66th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 07304

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$35,033Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$35,033
State avg
$47,079
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$15,414
Student Support$6,656
Administration$4,204
Operations$5,255
Other$3,503
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $35,033 spent per student, an estimated $15,520 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
53%
38%
State government
53.5%
Local (property tax)
38.5%
Federal programs
8.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $35,033/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Joseph H. Brensinger SchoolMahatma K. Gandhi SchoolCornelia F. Bradford SchoolChrista McAuliffe School
+18 more
↓
Middle
Franklin L. Williams SchoolMiddle School # 4Academy I
↓
High School
William L Dickinson High SchoolJames J Ferris High SchoolLincoln High SchoolHenry Snyder High School
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyHudson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictJersey City Public Schools →
Phone: (201)915-6510
NCES ID: 340783002808
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in JERSEY CITY seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Jersey City Public Schools
High
William L Dickinson High School
2,024 students · 09–12
● 33 opp59% FRL
High
James J Ferris High School
1,348 students · 09–12
59% FRL
Elem
Joseph H. Brensinger School
1,092 students · PK–08
● 47 opp64% FRL
Elem
Mahatma K. Gandhi School
1,001 students · PK–08
● 33 opp54% FRL
Elem
Cornelia F. Bradford School
962 students · PK–05
9% FRL
High
Lincoln High School
942 students · 09–12
● 47 opp61% FRL
Elem
Christa McAuliffe School
918 students · PK–08
● 33 opp68% FRL
Mid
Franklin L. Williams School
854 students · 06–08
● 33 opp61% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
220 VIRGINIA AVE, JERSEY CITY, NJ 07304
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.