Enrollment
143
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newark, NJ
John F. Kennedy School
Federal NCES profile for John F. Kennedy School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341134002296
👥 S:T ratio 73
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 71
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John F. Kennedy School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of New Jersey schools.
- #2 of 42
- schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 6.8:1
- small classes for New Jersey
- 74.6%
- free-lunch eligible
John F. Kennedy School has class sizes smaller than 96% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John F. Kennedy School ranks #2 of 42 schools in Newark, NJ.
School address
District: Newark Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341134002296 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
6.8:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.6%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+152% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John F. Kennedy School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at John F. Kennedy School
John F. Kennedy School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling 143 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 6.8:1, John F. Kennedy School is leaner than roughly 96% of New Jersey schools and 42% under the state's 11.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 74.6% of students qualify for free meals, 152% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 93% of New Jersey schools, with 143 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 21 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #4.
Its student body is led by African American (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (41%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 143 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Among Newark's public schools, it stands alongside Great Oaks Legacy Charter School (2,169 students): John F. Kennedy School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (6.8:1 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 John F. Kennedy 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 John F. Kennedy School compares
John F. Kennedy 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 | 6.8:1 | ▼ 42% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.6% | ▲ 152% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 143 | top 93% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6.8:1
Leaner classes than 97% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
143
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 152% 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
6.8:1
students per teacher
- 42% below state mean
Top 4% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 143 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 56.6%
Hispanic or Latino 40.6%
Asian 1.4%
White 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: African American at 56.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.5, John F. Kennedy School is about as mixed as the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newark Public School District, which includes John F. Kennedy 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 John F. Kennedy School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Side High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Barringer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ann Street School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lafayette Street School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| First Avenue School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John F. Kennedy 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
- 1,084
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 (~143 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~6.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John F. Kennedy School's federal record.
- Compare John F. Kennedy 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 John F. Kennedy School
How many students attend John F. Kennedy School?
John F. Kennedy School has 143 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Newark, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John F. Kennedy School?
The student-teacher ratio at John F. Kennedy School is 6.8:1, which is 42% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 57% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John F. Kennedy School?
74.6% of students at John F. Kennedy School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John F. Kennedy School?
The largest demographic group at John F. Kennedy School is African American at 56.6% of enrollment, in Newark, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John F. Kennedy School?
John F. Kennedy School has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does John F. Kennedy School rank among schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, John F. Kennedy School ranks #2 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 John F. Kennedy School a good school?
John F. Kennedy School earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% 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 Newark Public School District?
Besides John F. Kennedy 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.