Essex County Schools of Technology

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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Newark, New Jersey - 3 schools

An equity score of 83/100 ranks Essex County Schools of Technology #19 of 586 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $32,017 per pupil, Essex County Schools of Technology ranks #72 of 648 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,021
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$32,017
Per-Pupil Spending
High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Essex County Schools of Technology operates 3 public schools serving 2,021 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 high schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. 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 $32,017 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 648 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending. See how New Jersey compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 32.0% local, 59.3% state, and 8.7% 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 83/100, ranked #19 of 586 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 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (24 AP courses district-wide), a 208.2:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 12.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 52.6% Hispanic or Latino, 43.0% African American, 2.5% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Essex County West Caldwell Tech, with a diversity index of 54.5/100.

Its largest campus is Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology, enrolling 1,230 students (56% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Essex County West Caldwell Tech, at 353 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology accounts for 56.2% of all Essex County Schools of Technology student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Essex County Schools of Technology a distant remainder — means Essex County Schools of Technology-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Essex County Schools of Technology school enrollment varies 3.5× across entities

Essex County Schools of Technology school enrollment ranges from 353 students (lowest) to 1,230 students (highest), a spread of 877 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Essex County Schools of Technology reports 69.4% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Essex County Schools of Technology student-counselor ratio is 208:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Essex County Schools of Technology chronic absenteeism rate is 12.2% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

8.7%
Federal
59.3%
State
32.0%
Local

Funding Equity

83
Equity Score
19 / 586
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 3 schools in Essex County Schools of Technology.

White 2.5%
Hispanic or Latino 52.6%
African American 43.0%
Asian 1.2%
Other 0.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 53.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Essex County Schools of Technology's schools, about the same as the New Jersey average of 51.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Essex County West Caldwell Tech 54.5
  2. 2 Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology 53.2
  3. 3 Essex County Newark Tech 51.3

Programs & Resources

3 / 3
Schools with AP
24 AP courses total
208.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
12.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Essex County Schools of Technology

School Enrollment
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology
1,230
Essex County Newark Tech
606
Essex County West Caldwell Tech
353

How Essex County Schools of Technology Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Kipp: Cooper Norcross a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Great Oaks Legacy Charter School Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Wyckoff Township Public School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Burlington County Institute of Technology School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Essex County Schools of Technology'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.

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Essex County Schools of Technology

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 Essex County Schools of Technology?

Essex County Schools of Technology has 3 schools, including 3 high. Total enrollment is 2,021 students.

How much does Essex County Schools of Technology spend per student?

Essex County Schools of Technology spends $32,017 per student. The district has an equity score of 83/100, ranking #19 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Essex County Schools of Technology?

Essex County Schools of Technology students are 52.6% Hispanic or Latino, 43.0% African American, 2.5% White, 1.2% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Essex County Schools of Technology?

Essex County Schools of Technology has an equity score of 83/100, ranking #19 out of 586 districts in New Jersey.