Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center

Set in West Orange, New Jersey, Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center is a minimally staffed primary school, operated by West Orange Public Schools. It educates 49 students across grade pre-K. By comparison, New Jersey's public schools average about 405 students each, so Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center sits 88% below that benchmark.

West Orange Public Schools comprises 13 schools with combined enrollment of 6,616 students; Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center is among them.

On the student-mix side, Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center reports that 45% of students identify as Black, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest is composed of 33% Hispanic, 10% White, 8% Asian, 4% multiracial. That is noticeably more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 36%.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center has 7 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 7.5:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 11.4:1, putting Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 33% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Essex County runs at roughly 54%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully below the surrounding baseline.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Essex County put median household earnings sit near $80,789, roughly 39% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 11%. In all, Essex County runs 249 public schools (combined enrollment of about 145,473 students), of which Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center is one.

The closest other public school is St. Cloud Elementary School, roughly 0.9 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The campus sits in a bedroom-community setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center has edged down 42%, going from 84 students in 2018 to 49 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 24% to 45% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 10.4:1 in 2018 to 7.5:1 today.

Inside the community feed, members of the Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center community share and discuss school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.