An equity score of 65/100 ranks Salem City School District #139 of 586 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $25,714 per pupil, Salem City School District ranks #291 of 648 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
1,348
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$25,714
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Salem City School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,348 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 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 Salem County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $25,714 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 12.5% local, 72.9% state, and 14.6% 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 65/100, ranked #139 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 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (9 AP courses district-wide), a 128.2:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 37.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 62.3% African American, 18.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Salem High School, with a diversity index of 57.1/100.
Its largest campus is Salem Middle School, enrolling 472 students (38% of the district's total enrollment).
Salem Middle School accounts for 35.0% of all Salem City School District student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Salem City School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.
Salem City School District reports 68.8% 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.
Salem City School District student-counselor ratio is 128:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)
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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.
Salem City School District chronic absenteeism rate is 37.0% — 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.
How many schools are in Salem City School District?
Salem City School District has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 1,348 students.
How much does Salem City School District spend per student?
Salem City School District spends $25,714 per student. The district has an equity score of 65/100, ranking #139 in New Jersey.
What is the demographic composition of Salem City School District?
Salem City School District students are 62.3% African American, 18.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% White, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Salem City School District?
Salem City School District has an equity score of 65/100, ranking #139 out of 586 districts in New Jersey.