Enrollment
395
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Newark, NJ
Bard Early College High School
Federal NCES profile for Bard Early College High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 341134003158
👥 S:T ratio 42
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bard Early College High School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools.
- #10 of 11
- high schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 58.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Bard Early College High School has class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bard Early College High School ranks #10 of 11 high schools in Newark, NJ.
School address
District: Newark Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341134003158 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.3%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+97% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bard Early College High School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bard Early College High School
Bard Early College High School is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling 395 students.
Class loads run heavy: 14.6:1 is larger than about 89% of New Jersey schools and 24% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 58.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 395 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 246 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #148.
Its student body is led by African American (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 48/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 395 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Newark's high schools, it stands alongside Essex County Newark Tech (606 students): Bard Early College High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.6:1 vs 11.4:1).
Newark Public School District also operates East Side High School (2,046 students) and Barringer High School (1,894 students) alongside Bard Early College High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bard Early College High School compares
Bard Early College High School on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▲ 24% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.3% | ▲ 97% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 395 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
395
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 97% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 89% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$25,301
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 395 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 65.1%
Hispanic or Latino 31.4%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Two or More 0.8%
White 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 65.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.7, Bard Early College High School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newark Public School District, which includes Bard Early College High School.
$25,301
Per student
+1%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+52%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.8%
State 79.3%
Federal 9.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bard Early College High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Side High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Barringer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ann Street School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lafayette Street School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| First Avenue School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bard Early College High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,046
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,894
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,294
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,213
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,084
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Newark
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Essex County Newark Tech
Vocational / career-technical school
606 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
West Side High School
Standard public school
541 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Newark Sch of Data Science and Information Technology
Standard public school
414 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Newark School of Global Studies
Standard public school
377 students 14:1 students per teacher
Peoples Preparatory Charter School
Standard public school
340 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Lead Charter School
Standard public school
333 students 66.6:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~395 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bard Early College High School's federal record.
- Compare Bard Early College High School against another school. Compare schools
- Newark Public School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bard Early College High School
How many students attend Bard Early College High School?
Bard Early College High School has 395 students enrolled. It is a high school in Newark, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bard Early College High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bard Early College High School is 14.6:1, which is 24% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bard Early College High School?
58.3% of students at Bard Early College High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bard Early College High School?
The largest demographic group at Bard Early College High School is African American at 65.1% of enrollment, in Newark, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bard Early College High School?
Bard Early College High School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bard Early College High School rank among high schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, Bard Early College High School ranks #10 of 11 high schools in Newark, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Newark on the city page.
Is Bard Early College High School a good school?
Bard Early College High School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Newark Public School District?
Besides Bard Early College High School, Newark Public School District also operates East Side High School (2,046 students), Barringer High School (1,894 students), and Ann Street School (1,294 students). See the Newark Public School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.