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East Orange, New Jersey - 20 schools
An equity score of 74/100 ranks East Orange School District #61 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $28,608 per pupil, East Orange School District ranks #107 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
9,272
Total Enrollment
20
Schools
$28,608
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
East Orange School District operates 20 public schools serving 9,272 students, placing it in the mid-size range in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 14 combined, 3 middle, 2 elementary, 1 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage 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 Essex County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $28,608 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 9.0% local, 79.7% state, and 11.2% 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 74/100, ranked #61 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 3 of 20 schools offering Advanced Placement (16 AP courses district-wide), a 309.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 23.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 77.5% African American, 17.5% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Edward T. Bowser Sr. School of Excellence, with a diversity index of 60.7/100.
Its largest campus is East Orange Campus High School, enrolling 1,798 students (20% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Academy, at 131 students, a 14x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
East Orange Campus High School accounts for 19.4% of all East Orange School District student enrollment
That concentration means East Orange 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.
East Orange School District school enrollment varies 14× across entities
East Orange School District school enrollment ranges from 131 students (lowest) to 1,798 students (highest), a spread of 1,667 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
East Orange School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 55.7% 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 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.
East Orange School District student-counselor ratio is 310:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
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 Variation between sub-units within East Orange School District is typically wider than the East Orange School District-aggregate figure suggests.
East Orange School District chronic absenteeism rate is 23.2% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
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 Variation between sub-units within East Orange School District is typically wider than the East Orange School District-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in East Orange School District?
East Orange School District has 20 schools, including 1 high, 14 combined, 3 middle, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 9,272 students.
How much does East Orange School District spend per student?
East Orange School District spends $28,608 per student. The district has an equity score of 74/100, ranking #61 in New Jersey.
What is the demographic composition of East Orange School District?
East Orange School District students are 77.5% African American, 17.5% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% White, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 20 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for East Orange School District?
East Orange School District has an equity score of 74/100, ranking #61 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.