Enrollment
1,268
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Elizabeth, NJ
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy
Federal NCES profile for Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 340459005478
👥 S:T ratio 26
📚 AP courses 80
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Jersey.
- #1 of 28
- public schools in Elizabeth · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.6:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 56.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy has class sizes larger than 97% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy ranks #1 of 28 public schools in Elizabeth, NJ.
School address
District: Elizabeth Public Schools · New Jersey
NCES ID 340459005478 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
68.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+58% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.2%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+90% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy is a higher-need, large high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, enrolling 1,268 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.6:1 is larger than about 97% of New Jersey schools and 58% 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 56.2% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Jersey, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,268 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 75 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #10.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (77%) and White (11%) (diversity index 39/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 16 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 317 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Elizabeth's high schools, it stands alongside John E. Dwyer Technology Academy (1,348 students): Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.6:1 vs 13.8:1).
Elizabeth Public Schools also operates John E. Dwyer Technology Academy (1,348 students) and Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy (1,272 students) alongside Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy.
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 Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy compares
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 58% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.2% | ▲ 90% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,268 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,268
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 90% 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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 58% above state mean
Top 97% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$24,380
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 317 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 70 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 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
Hispanic or Latino 76.6%
White 10.6%
African American 8.4%
Asian 4.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 76.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.3, Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Elizabeth Public Schools, which includes Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy.
$24,380
Per student
-2%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.8%
State 80.6%
Federal 8.7%
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 Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John E. Dwyer Technology Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| William F. Halloran School No.22 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Terence C. Reilly School No 7 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,348
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,144
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,140
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,130
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar high schools in Elizabeth
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
John E. Dwyer Technology Academy
Standard public school
1,348 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy
Standard public school
1,272 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
Standard public school
1,144 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
1,015 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Thomas a. Edison Career and Technical Academy
Standard public school
842 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy
Standard public school
740 students 25.5:1 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 (~1,268 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy's federal record.
- Compare Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Elizabeth Public Schools'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 Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy
How many students attend Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy?
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy has 1,268 students enrolled. It is a high school in Elizabeth, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy is 18.6:1, which is 58% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy?
56.2% of students at Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy?
The largest demographic group at Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 76.6% of enrollment, in Elizabeth, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy?
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy rank among public schools in Elizabeth?
By Resource Investment Index, Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy ranks #1 of 28 public schools in Elizabeth, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Elizabeth on the city page.
Is Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy a good school?
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Jersey. 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 Elizabeth Public Schools?
Besides Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy, Elizabeth Public Schools also operates John E. Dwyer Technology Academy (1,348 students), Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy (1,272 students), and Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy (1,144 students). See the Elizabeth Public Schools 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.