Is Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School a good school?

Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School ranks 667 th of 1338 New Jersey elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 498 students attended Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School?

Students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School are 67% White, 18% Hispanic, 8% African American, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Robert L. Horbelt Elementary School Middle : Russell O. Brackman Middle School High : Barnegat High School

Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Summary:

Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades 3-4 in the Barnegat Township School District in New Jersey, with 485 students enrolled.

The school has shown mixed academic performance, with 3rd-grade students performing slightly below the state average in English Language Arts and math, but 4th-grade students performing above the state average in both subjects. The school has also demonstrated strong performance for some student subgroups, such as African American and Hispanic students, but lower performance for White students and English Language Learners. However, the school faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 16.6% to 23.8% over the past few years, which is higher than the state average. Additionally, the school has a significant population of economically disadvantaged students, with 37.32% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023.

When compared to other elementary schools in the Barnegat Township School District and the neighboring Lacey Township School District, Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School generally performs on par or slightly better in terms of student proficiency rates, but has higher chronic absenteeism and free/reduced lunch rates. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, suggesting the need for continued efforts to improve student outcomes, address attendance issues, and support all learners.

Detail:

Public 3-4

200 Bengal Blvd
Barnegat, NJ 08005

(609) 660-8900

District: Barnegat Township School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
667^th of 1,338 New Jersey Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,441

Students who attend Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Robert L. Horbelt Elementary School
	Russell O. Brackman Middle School
High:	Barnegat High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.0

Number of students: 498

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.5%

Hispanic:

17.7%

African American:

7.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40.8%

See top rated New Jersey elementary schools

Compare Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School ranks better than 50.1% of elementary schools in New Jersey. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.86. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (67.5%), Hispanic (17.7%), African American (7.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 40.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Barnegat Township School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School is 12. 1 elementary schools in the Barnegat Township School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School employs 41.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School is $8,441, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Barnegat Township School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School 667^th of 1338 New Jersey public elementary schools. (See Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Barnegat Township School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Barnegat Township School District 410^th of 613 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Your rating for Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School?

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Rank History for Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile
2010	58.68	683^rd	1354	49.6%
2011	67.04	558^th	1360	59.0%
2012	63.97	613^th	1363	55.0%
2013	53.93	755^th	1367	44.8%
2014	49.66	817^th	1363	40.1%
2015	31.69	956^th	1357	29.6%
2016	24.82	1058^th	1346	21.4%
2017	33.43	936^th	1352	30.8%
2018	31.35	990^th	1353	26.8%
2019	45.05	786^th	1360	42.2%
2021	42.99	692^nd	1317	47.5%
2022	50.23	665^th	1345	50.6%
2023	56.70	590^th	1342	56.0%
2024	49.86	667^th	1338	50.1%

See the entire list of New Jersey Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile
2022	69.49	103^rd	489	78.9%
2023	56.47	162^nd	499	67.5%
2024	36.91	326^th	559	41.7%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	17.89	829^th	1001	17.2%
2019	26.42	713^th	1007	29.2%
2021	30.97	564^th	868	35.0%
2022	41.39	475^th	949	49.9%
2023	36.99	526^th	958	45.1%
2024	47.26	436^th	989	55.9%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	19.15	844^th	942	10.4%
2019	58.80	301^st	948	68.2%
2021	56.14	274^th	839	67.3%
2022	65.22	224^th	863	74.0%
2023	65.70	228^th	910	74.9%
2024	63.86	251^st	939	73.3%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	33.59	938^th	1333	29.6%
2019	50.89	686^th	1331	48.5%
2021	38.26	754^th	1290	41.6%
2022	48.72	669^th	1326	49.5%
2023	59.70	529^th	1318	59.9%
2024	49.48	654^th	1317	50.3%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	32.67	926^th	1334	30.6%
2019	41.05	810^th	1335	39.3%
2021	49.05	588^th	1297	54.7%
2022	51.79	621^st	1324	53.1%
2023	53.17	607^th	1315	53.8%
2024	50.59	635^th	1313	51.6%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile
2021	55.59	154^th	456	66.2%
2022	35.86	326^th	494	34.0%
2023	65.51	126^th	463	72.8%
2024	70.16	93^rd	469	80.2%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile
2021	49.53	384^th	896	57.1%
2022	68.35	237^th	953	75.1%
2023	74.06	200^th	982	79.6%
2024	55.54	379^th	989	61.7%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	22.47	847^th	1022	17.1%
2019	32.53	734^th	1023	28.3%
2021	35.09	656^th	964	32.0%
2022	34.98	673^rd	976	31.0%
2023	41.83	575^th	975	41.0%
2024	35.91	644^th	963	33.1%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Jersey Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, January 6, 2017

This school is beyond great for my two children. The teachers definitely care and go that extra mile when my children need any help. I couldn't be more happier with results. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	248	22	2	30	1	1	0	304
2010	255	20	4	29	0	0	0	308
2011	269	20	7	12	0	0	3	311
2012	249	14	8	21	1	1	1	295
2013	244	15	6	21	0	3	1	290
2014	228	14	9	17	0	1	4	273
2015	217	12	9	19	0	1	4	262
2016	206	11	9	24	0	1	5	256
2017	179	6	8	25	0	1	6	225
2018	169	8	7	25	1	2	8	220
2019	226	12	7	23	0	0	10	278
2020	254	18	4	24	0	1	16	317
2021	329	41	8	89	1	0	19	487
2022	315	40	8	96	0	1	19	479
2023	329	33	5	90	2	1	25	485
2024	336	39	6	88	2	0	27	498

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	304	26.8	9.1	22
2010	308	21.0	14.6	24
2011	311	18.5	16.8	18.3
2012	295	19.5	15.0	21.4
2013	290	29.0	9.9	25.2
2014	273	17.9	15.2	27.5
2015	262	26.0	10.0	29.8
2016	256	29.0	8.8	30.1
2017	225	27.0	8.3	34.7
2018	220	25.3	8.6	32.3
2019	278	27.0	10.2	23.4
2020	317	35.0	9.0	35.3
2021	487	39.0	12.4	37.2
2022	479	36.0	13.3	26.7
2023	485	44.0	11.0	37.3
2024	498	41.5	12.0	40.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	304	26.8	9.1	22
2010	308	21.0	14.6	24
2011	311	18.5	16.8	18.3
2012	295	19.5	15.0	21.4
2013	290	29.0	9.9	25.2
2014	273	17.9	15.2	27.5
2015	262	26.0	10.0	29.8
2016	256	29.0	8.8	30.1
2017	225	27.0	8.3	34.7
2018	220	25.3	8.6	32.3
2019	278	27.0	10.2	23.4
2020	317	35.0	9.0	35.3
2021	487	39.0	12.4	37.2
2022	479	36.0	13.3	26.7
2023	485	44.0	11.0	37.3
2024	498	41.5	12.0	40.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$108 (1.3%)	$8,333 (98.7%)	$8,441

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 786^th of 1360 Elementary schools	Ranks 590^th of 1342 Elementary schools	13.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School)	62.9	46.4	16.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Barnegat Township School District)	52	46	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)	50.2	42	8.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School)	57.2	50.2	7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Barnegat Township School District)	56.9	49.8	7.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)	55.1	45.9	9.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School)	48.8	56.5	7.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Barnegat Township School District)	53.7	56.5	2.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)	57.4	51.3	6.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School)	41.5	46.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Barnegat Township School District)	34.1	46.4	12.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)	51	44.3	6.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	278	485	74.5%
African American	12	33	175%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	7	5	28.6%
Hispanic	23	90	291.3%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	226	329	45.6%
Two or More Races	10	25	150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	23.4%	37.3%	13.9%

Schools Near Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NJSLA-S Science (2024)	NJSLA English Language Arts (2024)				NJSLA Mathematics (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NJSLA-S Science 5th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 4th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 5th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 6th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 3rd Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 4th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 5th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School	Public	3-4	200 Bengal Blvd	Barnegat	08005	Ocean County	Barnegat Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(609) 660-8900	498	42	12.0	40.8%	336 (67.5%)	39 (7.8%)	88 (17.7%)	6 (1.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.4%)	49.9	667^th of 1338 public elementary schools	50.1%		56.7	590^th of 1342 public elementary schools	56.0%	77		33.8	59.1			39.2	57.2			$8,441	$108	$8,333
Cecil S. Collins Elementary	Public	K-2	570 Barnegat Blvd North	Barnegat	08005	Ocean County	Barnegat Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(609) 698-5832	754	58	13.1	37.5%	474 (62.9%)	63 (8.4%)	156 (20.7%)	17 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	41 (5.4%)								(n/a)										$5,306		$5,306
Lillian M. Dunfee Elementary	Public	PK	128 Barnegat Blvd	Barnegat	08005	Ocean County	Barnegat Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(609) 698-5826	333	41	8.1	26.7%	217 (65.2%)	20 (6.0%)	74 (22.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.7%)								(n/a)										$4,804		$4,804
Waretown Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	64 Railroad Avenue	Waretown	08758	Ocean County	Ocean Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(609) 693-3131	314	30	10.5	35.4%	243 (77.4%)	8 (2.5%)	46 (14.6%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.1%)								(n/a)										$11,819	$265	$11,554
Frederic A. Priff Elementary School	Public	3-6	139 Wells Mill Road	Waretown	08758	Ocean County	Ocean Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(609) 693-3131	267	21	12.7	41.2%	200 (74.9%)	5 (1.9%)	44 (16.5%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.6%)	36.1	853^rd of 1338 public elementary schools	36.2%		32.6	909^th of 1342 public elementary schools	32.3%	56	28.2	42.9	39.3	39.0	41.0	36.9	30.4	37.5	24.3	$11,497	$265	$11,232
Ocean Acres Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	489 Nautilus Drive	Manahawkin	08050	Ocean County	Stafford Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(609) 978-5700	723	52	14.0	25.0%	579 (80.1%)	10 (1.4%)	106 (14.7%)	8 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	19 (2.6%)								(n/a)										$7,933	$136	$7,797
Oxycocus Elementary School	Public	PK	250 North Main Street	Manahawkin	08050	Ocean County	Stafford Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(609) 978-5700	171	21	8.1	25.1%	119 (69.6%)	1 (0.6%)	43 (25.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.7%)								(n/a)										$15,100	$6,856	$8,244
Forked River Elementary School	Public	1-5	110 Lacey Road	Forked River	08731	Ocean County	Lacey Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(609) 971-2080	461	39	11.7	35.4%	356 (77.2%)	4 (0.9%)	72 (15.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.1%)	33.5	891^st of 1338 public elementary schools	33.4%		41.9	779^th of 1342 public elementary schools	42.0%	112	11.1	23.1	49.5			35.9	41.6			$13,075	$732	$12,343
McKinley Avenue Elementary School	Public	3-4	1000 McKinley Avenue	Manahawkin	08050	Ocean County	Stafford Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(609) 978-5700	612	48	12.8	28.8%	495 (80.9%)	10 (1.6%)	79 (12.9%)	10 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (2.8%)	59.6	552^nd of 1338 public elementary schools	58.7%		65.8	473^rd of 1342 public elementary schools	64.8%	79		51.7	57.2			54.9	46.1			$7,441	$102	$7,339
Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center	Public	PK-K	1000 McKinley Avenue	Manahawkin	08050	Ocean County	Stafford Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(609) 978-5700	392	28	14.0	24.2%	314 (80.1%)	8 (2.0%)	55 (14.0%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.0%)								(n/a)										$7,736	$118	$7,618

Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Barnegat Township School District:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rank History for African American students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School

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