Atlantic City School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Atlantic City, New Jersey - 11 schools

An equity score of 88/100 ranks Atlantic City School District #7 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $28,787 per pupil, Atlantic City School District ranks #104 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

6,466
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$28,787
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Atlantic City School District operates 11 public schools serving 6,466 students, placing it among the smaller districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 9 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Atlantic County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $28,787 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending. See how New Jersey compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 37.5% local, 53.8% state, and 8.6% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 88/100, ranked #7 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (22 AP courses district-wide), a 434.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 33.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 45.9% Hispanic or Latino, 34.1% African American, 15.6% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Chelsea Heights School, with a diversity index of 67.7/100.

Its largest campus is Atlantic City High School, enrolling 1,731 students (27% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Venice Park School, at 39 students, a 44x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Atlantic City High School accounts for 26.8% of all Atlantic City School District student enrollment

That concentration means Atlantic City School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Atlantic City School District school enrollment varies 44× across entities

Atlantic City School District school enrollment ranges from 39 students (lowest) to 1,731 students (highest), a spread of 1,692 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Atlantic City School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 83.8% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Atlantic City School District student-counselor ratio is 435:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Atlantic City School District chronic absenteeism rate is 33.8% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

8.6%
Federal
53.8%
State
37.5%
Local

Funding Equity

88
Equity Score
7 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 11 schools in Atlantic City School District.

White 1.8%
Hispanic or Latino 45.9%
African American 34.1%
Asian 15.6%
Multiracial 2.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 56.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Atlantic City School District's schools, above the New Jersey average of 51.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Chelsea Heights School 67.7
  2. 2 Atlantic City High School 67.4
  3. 3 Venice Park School 62.2
  4. 4 Richmond Avenue School 61.7
  5. 5 Uptown School Complex 55.7

Programs & Resources

1 / 11
Schools with AP
22 AP courses total
434.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
33.8%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Atlantic City School District

School Enrollment
Atlantic City High School
1,731
Sovereign Avenue School
717
Richmond Avenue School
609
Pennsylvania Ave School
566
New York Avenue School
550
Dr Martin Luther King Jr School Complex
544
Uptown School Complex
518
Texas Avenue School
496
Brighton Avenue School
302
Chelsea Heights School
267
Venice Park School
39

How Atlantic City School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The New Jersey districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Sayreville School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Livingston Board of Education School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
North Star Academy Charter School Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Bloomfield Township School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Lenape Regional High School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Atlantic City School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in New Jersey

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Newark Public School District
41,672 students · 63 schools · $25,301/pupil
Compare vs Atlantic City School District →
Elizabeth Public Schools
28,266 students · 37 schools · $24,380/pupil
Compare vs Atlantic City School District →
Jersey City Public Schools
26,647 students · 39 schools · $26,862/pupil
Compare vs Atlantic City School District →
Paterson Public School District
24,795 students · 43 schools · $23,944/pupil
Compare vs Atlantic City School District →
Edison Township School District
16,807 students · 19 schools · $20,030/pupil
Compare vs Atlantic City School District →

Compare Atlantic City School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Newark Public School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Atlantic City School District?

Atlantic City School District has 11 schools, including 1 high, 9 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 6,466 students.

How much does Atlantic City School District spend per student?

Atlantic City School District spends $28,787 per student. The district has an equity score of 88/100, ranking #7 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Atlantic City School District?

Atlantic City School District students are 45.9% Hispanic or Latino, 34.1% African American, 15.6% Asian, 1.8% White, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Atlantic City School District?

Atlantic City School District has an equity score of 88/100, ranking #7 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.