Enrollment
247
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · East Orange, NJ
J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy
Federal NCES profile for J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 340423005901
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of New Jersey schools.
- #8 of 14
- schools in East Orange · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 63.2%
- free-lunch eligible
J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy has class sizes larger than 83% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy ranks #8 of 14 schools in East Orange, NJ.
School address
District: East Orange School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 340423005901 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.2%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+114% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy
J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in East Orange, New Jersey, enrolling 247 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.7:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 63.2% of students qualify for free meals, 114% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 247 puts it in the smaller third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 111 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #57.
Its student body is predominantly African American (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 247 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
East Orange School District also operates East Orange Campus High School (1,798 students) and Cicely L. Tyson Community Middle/High School (701 students) alongside J. Garfield Jackson Sr. 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 J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy compares
J. Garfield Jackson Sr. 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 | 13.7:1 | ▲ 16% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.2% | ▲ 114% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 247 | top 84% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
247
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 114% 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
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 83% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
34.0%
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
$28,608
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 247 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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 80.6%
Hispanic or Latino 14.6%
White 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Two or More 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 80.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.8, J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East Orange School District, which includes J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy.
$28,608
Per student
+15%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+72%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.0%
State 79.7%
Federal 11.2%
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 J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Orange Campus High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cicely L. Tyson Community Middle/High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Orange Stem Academy High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward T. Bowser Sr. School of Excellence | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Langston Hughes Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,798
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 701
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 66/100
- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 612
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 554
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
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 (~247 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy's federal record.
- Compare J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy against another school. Compare schools
- East Orange 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 J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy
How many students attend J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy?
J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy has 247 students enrolled. It is a public school in East Orange, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy is 13.7:1, which is 16% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy?
63.2% of students at J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy?
The largest demographic group at J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy is African American at 80.6% of enrollment, in East Orange, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy?
J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy rank among schools in East Orange?
By Resource Investment Index, J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy ranks #8 of 14 schools in East Orange, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in East Orange on the city page.
Is J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy a good school?
J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 East Orange School District?
Besides J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy, East Orange School District also operates East Orange Campus High School (1,798 students), Cicely L. Tyson Community Middle/High School (701 students), and East Orange Stem Academy High School (646 students). See the East Orange 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.