Trenton Public School District

Trenton, New Jersey — 25 schools

14,852
Total Enrollment
25
Schools
$29,952
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Trenton Public School District operates 25 public schools serving 14,852 students, placing it in the mid-size range in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 19 elementary, 3 middle, 2 high, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 13,549 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Mercer County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $29,952 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 5.9% local, 82.1% state, and 12.0% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $105,322 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 69/100, ranked #109 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 25 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 408.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 41.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 65.9% Hispanic or Latino, 31.0% African American, 1.0% White across the district's schools.

Trenton Central High School - Main Campus accounts for 15.5% of all Trenton Public School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Trenton Public 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

Trenton Public School District school enrollment varies 10× across entities

Trenton Public School District school enrollment ranges from 200 students (lowest) to 2,097 students (highest), a spread of 1,897 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.

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

Trenton Public School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 60.4% 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.

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

Trenton Public School District student-counselor ratio is 408:1 — 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

Trenton Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 41.5% — 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?

12.0%
Federal
82.1%
State
5.9%
Local

Funding Equity

69
Equity Score
109 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Mercer County county, where this district is located.

$1,344
Studio/mo
$1,545
1 BR/mo
$1,950
2 BR/mo
$2,338
3 BR/mo
$2,670
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$105,322
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 25 schools in Trenton Public School District.

White 1.0%
Hispanic or Latino 65.9%
African American 31.0%
Multiracial 1.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 25
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
408.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
41.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Trenton Public School District

School Enrollment
Trenton Central High School - Main Campus
2,097
Trenton Central High School-9th Grade Academy
890
Daylight/Twilight High School
756
Dunn Middle School
703
Hedgepeth Williams Elementary School
668
Dr. Martin Luther King Middle School
650
Grant Elementary School
610
Clara Parker Elementary School
583
P.J. Hill Elementary
555
Joyce Kilmer Elementary School
546
Monument Elementary School
499
Holland Middle School
474
Luis Munoz-Rivera Elementary School
468
Robbins Elementary School
459
Paul S. Robeson Elementary School
390
Mott Elementary School
375
Franklin Elementary School
372
Columbus Elementary School
353
Wilson Elementary School
350
Stokes Elementary School
347
Jefferson Elementary
329
Washington Elementary School
321
Gregory Elementary School
311
Harrison Elementary School
243
Cadwalader Elementary School
200

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 · $36,862/pupil
Compare vs Trenton Public School District →
Elizabeth Public Schools
28,266 students · 37 schools · $26,936/pupil
Compare vs Trenton Public School District →
Jersey City Public Schools
26,647 students · 39 schools · $32,533/pupil
Compare vs Trenton Public School District →

Compare Trenton Public 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 Trenton Public School District?

Trenton Public School District has 25 schools, including 2 high, 1 other, 3 middle, 19 elementary. Total enrollment is 14,852 students.

How much does Trenton Public School District spend per student?

Trenton Public School District spends $29,952 per student. The district has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #109 in New Jersey.

What is the average teacher salary in Trenton Public School District?

The average teacher salary in Trenton Public School District is $105,322 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Trenton Public School District?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Mercer County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Trenton Public School District?

Trenton Public School District students are 65.9% Hispanic or Latino, 31.0% African American, 1.0% White, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 25 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Trenton Public School District?

Trenton Public School District has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #109 out of 587 districts in New Jersey. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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