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 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center score 30% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 56%).
2019 EdFacts proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. NJ average.
Trend
↓ DecliningProficiency has fallen 13 points since 2016, to 30% in 2019, across a 11-year record (2009–2019).
Show all 11 years
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 scoreFree/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 rateThe 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
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
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%
- Phone
- (856) 767-2421
- 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
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