Skip to main content

Below Average

#2170 of 2,466 schools in NJ

Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center

Elementary School · Waterford Township School District · Atco, NJ

A Waterford Township School District elementary school where students score 27 points below what's typical for similar communities.

934 Lincoln Avenue, Atco, NJ 08004

  • Math 32% proficient (2019)
  • Reading 27% proficient (2019)
  • 10.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.8Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data11
Annual Change-3.34 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2019
TrendDeclining
Academics3.3Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency32% (2019 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency27% (2019 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency30% (2019 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)56% (model expectation from 2019 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-27.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile14th
Resources & Environment8.6Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio10.7:1
District spending per student$26,988
Chronic Absenteeism10.9%

Students at Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center score 30% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 56%).

How we calculate scores →

2019 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NJ average.

Math Proficiency32%(2019 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2019 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency27%(2019 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2019 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 13 points since 2016, to 30% in 2019, across a 11-year record (2009–2019).

Show all 11 years
2009
Math
72%
ELA
47%
2010
Math
62%
ELA
52%
2011
Math
67%
ELA
52%
2012
Math
67%
ELA
52%
2013
Math
72%
ELA
57%
2014
Math
22%
ELA
22%
2015
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2016
Math
47%
ELA
37%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
42%
2018
Math
32%
ELA
27%
2019
Math
32%
ELA
27%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 51% (multi-year average, 2009-2019) · reading/ELA 42% (multi-year average, 2009-2019)

Based on 22 test records from NJ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

21.1%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Philadelphia map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 7Car-Dependent
  • Bike 26Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low6/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$107,041

Median home value

$255,500

Median rent

$1,169/mo

College educated

28.2%

Homeownership

83%

Poverty rate

8.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 08004; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

0 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Waterford Township School District

Schools in district
3
Rank in district
#3 of 3
District spending per student
$26,988NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center is listed in Waterford Township School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center

Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center is a public elementary school in Atco, NJ, part of Waterford Township School District, serving approximately 256 students in grades Pre-K-Kindergarten with a 10.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10 and ranks #2,170 of 2,466 schools in NJ. State assessment records show 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2019) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2019).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center

What grades does Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center serve?

Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center serves students in grades Pre-K through Kindergarten.

How many students attend Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center?

Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center has an enrollment of approximately 256 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center?

The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center is 10.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center rank in NJ?

Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center ranks #2,170 of 2,466 schools in NJ.

What is Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center's MySchoolScout rating?

Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center has 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2019) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2019).

Is Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center a charter school?

No, Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center a Title I school?

No, Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center?

21.1% of students at Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – Kindergarten
Enrollment
256
Student-Teacher Ratio
10.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
24
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Camden County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
10.9%
Area population (ZIP 08004)
10,946
Area average commute
31.9 min
Area median age
45.4
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2019 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2019 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2019 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2019 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 08004; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2019; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.