North Star Academy Charter School

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.

Newark, New Jersey - 1 schools

An equity score of 24/100 ranks North Star Academy Charter School #529 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $20,158 per pupil, North Star Academy Charter School ranks #574 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

6,350
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$20,158
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

North Star Academy Charter School operates 1 public schools serving 6,350 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined 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 $20,158 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower 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 78.0% local, 7.1% state, and 14.9% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 24/100, ranked #529 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 1 schools offering Advanced Placement (23 AP courses district-wide), a 479.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, . Demographically, the student body averages 81.4% African American, 15.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% White across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is North Star Academy Charter School, enrolling 6,714 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

North Star Academy Charter School accounts for 100.0% of all North Star Academy Charter School student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of North Star Academy Charter School a distant remainder — means North Star Academy Charter School-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

North Star Academy Charter School has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 72.2% 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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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

North Star Academy Charter School student-counselor ratio is 480:1 — 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

Where does the funding come from?

14.9%
Federal
7.1%
State
78.0%
Local

Funding Equity

24
Equity Score
529 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in North Star Academy Charter School.

White 1.0%
Hispanic or Latino 15.6%
African American 81.4%
Multiracial 1.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 1
Schools with AP
23 AP courses total
479.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio

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

Schools in North Star Academy Charter School

School Enrollment
North Star Academy Charter School
Charter
6,714

How North Star Academy Charter School Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Livingston Board of Education School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Bloomfield Township School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Sayreville School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Atlantic City School District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Bridgeton City School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to North Star Academy Charter School'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.

Compare North Star Academy Charter School

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 North Star Academy Charter School?

North Star Academy Charter School has 1 school, including 1 combined. Total enrollment is 6,350 students.

How much does North Star Academy Charter School spend per student?

North Star Academy Charter School spends $20,158 per student. The district has an equity score of 24/100, ranking #529 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of North Star Academy Charter School?

North Star Academy Charter School students are 81.4% African American, 15.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% White, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for North Star Academy Charter School?

North Star Academy Charter School has an equity score of 24/100, ranking #529 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.