Enrollment
1,084
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newark, NJ
First Avenue School
Federal NCES profile for First Avenue School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341134002274
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
First Avenue School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey schools.
- #16 of 42
- schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 75.4%
- free-lunch eligible
First Avenue 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, First Avenue School ranks #16 of 42 schools in Newark, NJ.
School address
District: Newark Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341134002274 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
75.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.4%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+155% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How First Avenue School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at First Avenue School
First Avenue School is a high-poverty, large combined-grade school in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling 1,084 students.
Class loads run heavy: 14.5:1 is larger than about 89% of New Jersey schools and 23% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 75.4% of students qualify for free meals, 155% 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 92% of state schools at 1,084 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Against 94 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #56.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 20/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 542 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Newark's public schools, it stands alongside Great Oaks Legacy Charter School (2,169 students): First Avenue School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.5:1 vs 21.5:1).
Newark Public School District also operates East Side High School (2,046 students) and Barringer High School (1,894 students) alongside First Avenue 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 First Avenue School compares
First Avenue 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 | 14.5:1 | ▲ 23% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.4% | ▲ 155% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,084 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,084
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 155% 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
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% 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
15.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 542 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
42
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 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 89.3%
African American 5.4%
White 1.8%
Asian 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 89.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.9, First Avenue School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newark Public School District, which includes First Avenue 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 First Avenue School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Side High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Barringer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ann Street School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lafayette Street School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to First Avenue 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
- 1,051
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar other schools in Newark
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Great Oaks Legacy Charter School
Standard public school
2,169 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
East Ward Elementary School
Standard public school
854 students 19:1 students per teacher
Luis Munoz Marin Elementary School
Standard public school
818 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Park Elementary School
Standard public school
747 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Philip's Academy Charter School
Standard public school
730 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Salome Urena Elementary School
Standard public school
516 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~1,084 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on First Avenue School's federal record.
- Compare First Avenue 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 First Avenue School
How many students attend First Avenue School?
First Avenue School has 1,084 students enrolled. It is a public school in Newark, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at First Avenue School?
The student-teacher ratio at First Avenue School is 14.5:1, which is 23% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at First Avenue School?
75.4% of students at First Avenue School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of First Avenue School?
The largest demographic group at First Avenue School is Hispanic or Latino at 89.3% of enrollment, in Newark, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for First Avenue School?
First Avenue School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does First Avenue School rank among schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, First Avenue School ranks #16 of 42 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 schools in Newark on the city page.
Is First Avenue School a good school?
First Avenue School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 First Avenue 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.