Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 18 schools in district

Walnut Street Elementary School

60 WALNUT STREET, TOMS RIVER, NJ 08753Toms River Regional School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
739
Students
Total enrolled
$25,622
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 79% vs nat'l
12.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 17% vs nat'l
49/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 739 students in grades KG–05 in TOMS RIVER, New Jersey.
79% above average funding
District spends $25,622 per pupil, 79% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 49th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Walnut Street Elementary School is a large elementary in TOMS RIVER, New Jersey, serving grades KG–05 with 739 students. The district invests $25,622 per student — 79% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 51% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Walnut Street Elementary School

739
Total Students
12.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
51%
Free Lunch
58
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution407 male · 332 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility51%
National avg 52% · 378 students
Student Composition
36%
47%
Asian5%
White36%
Hispanic / Latino47%
Black7%
Multiracial6%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 341623004744

Academic Outcomes at Walnut Street Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
49
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 49th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 75th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 08753

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$25,622Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$25,622
State avg
$47,079
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$11,274
Student Support$4,868
Administration$3,075
Operations$3,843
Other$2,562
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $25,622 spent per student, an estimated $11,350 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
36%
56%
State government
36.2%
Local (property tax)
56.2%
Federal programs
7.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $25,622/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.7:1 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
Cedar Grove Elementary SchoolHooper Avenue Elementary SchoolSilver Bay Elementary SchoolEast Dover Elementary School
+7 more
↓
Middle
Toms River Intermediate School EastToms River Intermediate School SouthToms River Intermediate School North
↓
High School
Toms River High School NorthToms River High School EastToms River High School South
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyOcean County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictToms River Regional School District →
Phone: (732)505-5900
NCES ID: 341623004744
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in TOMS RIVER 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 Toms River Regional School District
High
Toms River High School North
1,931 students · 09–12
● 49 opp28% FRL
High
Toms River High School East
1,520 students · 09–12
● 49 opp23% FRL
High
Toms River High School South
1,359 students · 09–12
● 49 opp27% FRL
Mid
Toms River Intermediate School East
1,294 students · 06–08
● 49 opp24% FRL
Mid
Toms River Intermediate School South
1,048 students · 06–08
● 50 opp37% FRL
Mid
Toms River Intermediate School North
1,012 students · 06–08
● 49 opp38% FRL
Elem
Cedar Grove Elementary School
937 students · PK–05
● 49 opp26% FRL
Elem
Hooper Avenue Elementary School
676 students · KG–05
● 49 opp17% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
60 WALNUT STREET, TOMS RIVER, NJ 08753
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.