Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 9 schools in district

Samsel Upper Elementary School

298 ERNSTON ROAD, PARLIN, NJ 08859Sayreville School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 04–05Non-Charter
838
Students
Total enrolled
$25,036
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 75% vs nat'l
9.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 40% vs nat'l
50/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 838 students in grades 04–05 in PARLIN, New Jersey.
75% above average funding
District spends $25,036 per pupil, 75% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 50th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Samsel Upper Elementary School is a large elementary in PARLIN, New Jersey, serving grades 04–05 with 838 students. The district invests $25,036 per student — 75% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 9.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 36% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Samsel Upper Elementary School

838
Total Students
9.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
36%
Free Lunch
91
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (04–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution449 male · 389 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility36%
National avg 52% · 303 students
Student Composition
17%
35%
21%
17%
Asian17%
White35%
Hispanic / Latino21%
Black17%
Multiracial7%
Native American2%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 341464000553

Academic Outcomes at Samsel Upper Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
50
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 50th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 78th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 08859

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$25,036Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$25,036
State avg
$47,079
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$11,016
Student Support$4,757
Administration$3,004
Operations$3,755
Other$2,504
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $25,036 spent per student, an estimated $11,091 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
45%
47%
State government
44.5%
Local (property tax)
47.1%
Federal programs
8.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $25,036/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 9.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • 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
Emma Arleth Elementary SchoolDwight D. Eisenhower Elementary SchoolHarry S. Truman Elementary SchoolWoodrow Wilson Elementary School
↓
Middle
Sayreville Middle School
↓
High School
Sayreville War Memorial High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
Grades04 – 05
Location—
CountyMiddlesex County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSayreville School District →
Phone: (732)316-4050
NCES ID: 341464000553
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in PARLIN 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 Sayreville School District
High
Sayreville War Memorial High School
1,750 students · 09–12
● 50 opp35% FRL
Mid
Sayreville Middle School
1,349 students · 06–08
● 50 opp38% FRL
Elem
Emma Arleth Elementary School
486 students · KG–03
● 50 opp33% FRL
Elem
Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School
479 students · KG–03
● 50 opp36% FRL
Elem
Harry S. Truman Elementary School
440 students · KG–03
● 50 opp37% FRL
Elem
Woodrow Wilson Elementary School
328 students · KG–03
● 44 opp40% FRL
Other
Cheesequake School
253 students · PK–PK
● 47 opp32% FRL
Other
Project Before at Selover School
225 students · PK–PK
● 44 opp29% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
298 ERNSTON ROAD, PARLIN, NJ 08859
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.