As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,519 students and 149.6 classroom teachers (on anFTE basis), for astudent–teacher ratio of 10.2:1.[1]
The district is classified by theNew Jersey Department of Education as being inDistrict Factor Group "B", the second lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by commonsocioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[4]
The Lower Township School District participates in theInterdistrict Public School Choice Program, which allows non-resident students to attend the district's schools without cost to their parents, with tuition paid by the state. Seats in the program for non-resident students are specified by the district and are allocated by lottery.[5][6]
Maud Abrams School was recognized by GovernorJim McGreevey in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award.[15]
Carl T. Mitnick School[24] with 440 students in grades 1-2
The school is in theCold Spring community.[25] Its student capacity is 552.[8]: 16 The district administration is on the school property, behind the main school building.[26][27] Additionally the property houses the Lower Township Children's Memorial Garden, which is in honor of students who died.[28] The school was named afterCarl T. Mitnick, who donated land to the township.[29] He developed Tranquility Park and did development inNorth Cape May.[30]
Maud T. Abrams School[31] with 355 students in grades 3-4
The school is in the Cold Spring community.[32] Groundbreaking occurred in 1966, and its cost was to be $595,000.[33] Its building capacity is 616.[8]: 16
Charles W. Sandman Consolidated School[34] with 388 students in grades 5-6
The school is in the Cold Spring community.[35] Its building capacity is 518.[8]: 16
The Lower Township Consolidated School opened circa 1930. Articles described it as being in Cold Spring,[36] or in Erma. In 1932 a fire destroyed the building, which was described as having ten,[37] or eight rooms.[36] The building was replaced, and in 1949 there were plans to convert a kitchen and an auditorium into classrooms.[38] In 1986 it was renamed afterCharles W. Sandman Jr. after all members of the school board agreed to do so.[39]
The district administration was formerly in the Sandman facility.[40] It occupied what the district called a "brown Victorian structure".[41] By 2017 this administration building was demolished.[42]
The district'sboard of education is comprised of nine members who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.[44][45][46]
^Lower Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Lower Township School District. Accessed August 4, 2022. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through six in the Lower Township School District. Composition: The Lower Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Lower Township."
^Lower Cape May Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Lower Cape May Regional School District. Accessed August 29, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades seven through twelve. Composition: The Lower Cape May Regional School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Cape May, Lower Township, and West Cape May."
^abcdeJohnson, Virgil; and Kirtland, James L."A Feasibility Study to Reconfigure the Lower Cape May Regional School District", Statistical Forecasting LLC, June 2013. Accessed August 29, 2024. "Cape May City is one of three constituent communities served by the Lower Cape May Regional School District ('Lower Cape May Regional'), a limited purpose school district providing education for the middle and high school students from Cape May City, Lower Township, and West Cape May.... Students from Cape May Point attend on a sending-receiving basis."
^"7-23-18.pdf"(PDF). Lower Township School District. RetrievedMay 16, 2021.Board Office 905 Seashore Road Cape May, New Jersey 08204 Carl T. Mitnick School 905 Seashore Road Cape May, NJ 08204
^"CHOICE INFORMATION 2019-2020 School year"(PDF). Lower Township School District. RetrievedMay 16, 2021.ADMINISTRATION BUILDING (LOCATED BEHIND THE CARL T. MITNICK SCHOOL) 905 SEASHORE ROAD, CAPE MAY, NJ 08204
^"Interdistrict Public School Choice". Lower Township School District. October 10, 2009. Archived fromthe original on October 10, 2009. RetrievedMay 16, 2021.[...]the Administration Office (brown Victorian structure).
^Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Lower Township School District,New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed April 15, 2024. "The Lower Township School District (District) is a Type II school district located in Cape May County, New Jersey and covers an area of approximately 31 square miles. As a Type II school district, it functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members elected to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three member’s terms expire each year. The purpose of the district is to provide educational services for all of Lower Township’s students in grades preschool through 6. Students in grades 7 through 12 attend Lower Cape May Regional." See "Roster of Officials" on page 12.
^Board of Education, Lower Township School District. Accessed August 29, 2024.
* Formerly operated its own 1-8 school, which has been closed since 1931. ** Formerly operated its own K-8, then K-6 school, which has been closed since July 2012. School districts by county:
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