Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy

Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy, an one-room-style elementary-level community in EAST ORANGE, New Jersey, operated by East Orange School District, caters to 157 students, covering grades pre-K through K. Enrollment runs roughly 61% below the state mean of about 405.

Within East Orange School District, which oversees 19 schools and 8,348 students, Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy is one campus in the system.

In terms of who attends, Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy logs that the student body is overwhelmingly Black (83%). Beyond that, the school logs 10% Hispanic, 4% White. The wider county runs roughly 36% Black, putting the school's mix meaningfully more Black than the area baseline.

On the income-and-resources front, Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy logs 13 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 12.6:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 11.4:1, putting Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy higher than the state norm the norm. About 32% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Essex County runs at roughly 54%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat below the surrounding baseline.

In the area at large, Essex County reports that median household income runs about $80,789, 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy is one of 249 public schools in Essex County (combined enrollment of about 145,473 students).

The closest other public school is East Orange Campus High School, roughly 0.1 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy.

The campus sits in a residential setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy has decreased 8%, going from 171 students in 2018 to 157 in 2025. The Black share of enrollment ticked down from 94% to 83% over that span.

On the community side, the feed for Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy typically covers fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.