Enrollment
1,230
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Newark, NJ
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology
Federal NCES profile for Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 340480002074
👥 S:T ratio 47
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of New Jersey schools.
- #2 of 11
- high schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.2:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 69.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology has class sizes larger than 77% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology ranks #2 of 11 high schools in Newark, NJ.
School address
District: Essex County Schools of Technology · New Jersey
NCES ID 340480002074 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
93.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.2:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.8%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+136% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology is a higher-need, large high school in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling 1,230 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.2:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 69.8% of students qualify for free meals, 136% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Jersey, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,230 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Among 86 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (52%) and Hispanic or Latino (45%) (diversity index 53/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 246 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
10.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Newark's high schools, it stands alongside Essex County Newark Tech (606 students): Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.2:1 vs 11.4:1).
Essex County Schools of Technology also operates Essex County Newark Tech (606 students) and Essex County West Caldwell Tech (353 students) alongside Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology.
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 Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology compares
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology 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 | 13.2:1 | ▲ 12% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.8% | ▲ 136% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,230 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,230
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 136% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.2:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$28,274
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 246 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 75 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.1 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 51.8%
Hispanic or Latino 44.6%
White 1.9%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 51.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.2, Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Essex County Schools of Technology, which includes Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology.
$28,274
Per student
+13%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+70%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.0%
State 59.3%
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 Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County Newark Tech | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Essex County West Caldwell Tech | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 9.1:1
- Resource Index
- 66/100
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 (~1,230 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology's federal record.
- Compare Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology against another school. Compare schools
- Essex County Schools of Technology'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 Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology
How many students attend Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology?
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology has 1,230 students enrolled. It is a high school in Newark, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology?
The student-teacher ratio at Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology is 13.2:1, which is 12% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 16% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology?
69.8% of students at Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology?
The largest demographic group at Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology is African American at 51.8% of enrollment, in Newark, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology?
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (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 Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology rank among high schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology ranks #2 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 Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology a good school?
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Essex County Schools of Technology?
Besides Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology, Essex County Schools of Technology also operates Essex County Newark Tech (606 students) and Essex County West Caldwell Tech (353 students). See the Essex County Schools of Technology 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.