Trenton Public School District

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.

Trenton, New Jersey - 25 schools

An equity score of 55/100 ranks Trenton Public School District #249 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $22,017 per pupil, Trenton Public School District ranks #469 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

14,852
Total Enrollment
25
Schools
$22,017
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 combined 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 Mercer County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $22,017 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 5.9% local, 82.1% state, and 12.0% 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 55/100, ranked #249 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 25 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 408.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, 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. Its most demographically mixed campus is Stokes Elementary School, with a diversity index of 55.2/100.

Its largest campus is Trenton Central High School - Main Campus, enrolling 2,097 students (15% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Cadwalader Elementary School, at 200 students, a 10x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

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

55
Equity Score
249 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

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

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.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 38.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Trenton Public School District's schools, below the New Jersey average of 51.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Stokes Elementary School 55.2
  2. 2 Columbus Elementary School 53.7
  3. 3 Joyce Kilmer Elementary School 51.5
  4. 4 Cadwalader Elementary School 51.4
  5. 5 Luis Munoz-Rivera Elementary School 51.1

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

How Trenton Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Toms River Regional School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Woodbridge Township School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Edison Township School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Union City School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Passaic City School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Trenton Public School District'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.

Newark Public School District
41,672 students · 63 schools · $25,301/pupil
Compare vs Trenton Public School District →
Elizabeth Public Schools
28,266 students · 37 schools · $24,380/pupil
Compare vs Trenton Public School District →
Jersey City Public Schools
26,647 students · 39 schools · $26,862/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 combined, 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 $22,017 per student. The district has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #249 in New Jersey.

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 55/100, ranking #249 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.