Enrollment
595
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Elizabeth, NJ
George Washington Academy School No. 1
Federal NCES profile for George Washington Academy School No. 1, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 340459005492
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
George Washington Academy School No. 1 earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of New Jersey schools.
- #17 of 17
- schools in Elizabeth · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.8:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 74.2%
- free-lunch eligible
George Washington Academy School No. 1 has class sizes larger than 84% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, George Washington Academy School No. 1 ranks #17 of 17 schools in Elizabeth, NJ.
School address
District: Elizabeth Public Schools · New Jersey
NCES ID 340459005492 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.2%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+151% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How George Washington Academy School No. 1 compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at George Washington Academy School No. 1
George Washington Academy School No. 1 is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, enrolling 595 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 74.2% of students qualify for free meals, 151% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 595 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 198 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #158, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and African American (31%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 595 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
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 George Washington Academy School No. 1.
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 George Washington Academy School No. 1 compares
George Washington Academy School No. 1 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 | 13.8:1 | ▲ 17% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.2% | ▲ 151% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 595 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
595
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 151% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 84% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.5%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 595 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 68 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 64.3%
African American 31.3%
White 3.0%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.8, George Washington Academy School No. 1 is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Elizabeth Public Schools, which includes George Washington Academy School No. 1.
$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 George Washington Academy School No. 1 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John E. Dwyer Technology Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| William F. Halloran School No.22 | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to George Washington Academy School No. 1'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
- 1,268
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- 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
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 (~595 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on George Washington Academy School No. 1's federal record.
- Compare George Washington Academy School No. 1 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 George Washington Academy School No. 1
How many students attend George Washington Academy School No. 1?
George Washington Academy School No. 1 has 595 students enrolled. It is a public school in Elizabeth, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at George Washington Academy School No. 1?
The student-teacher ratio at George Washington Academy School No. 1 is 13.8:1, which is 17% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at George Washington Academy School No. 1?
74.2% of students at George Washington Academy School No. 1 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of George Washington Academy School No. 1?
The largest demographic group at George Washington Academy School No. 1 is Hispanic or Latino at 64.3% of enrollment, in Elizabeth, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for George Washington Academy School No. 1?
George Washington Academy School No. 1 has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 George Washington Academy School No. 1 rank among schools in Elizabeth?
By Resource Investment Index, George Washington Academy School No. 1 ranks #17 of 17 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 schools in Elizabeth on the city page.
Is George Washington Academy School No. 1 a good school?
George Washington Academy School No. 1 earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Elizabeth Public Schools?
Besides George Washington Academy School No. 1, 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 Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy (1,268 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.