Enrollment
387
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Salem, NJ
John Fenwick Academy
Federal NCES profile for John Fenwick Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341455005092
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 74
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Fenwick Academy earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of New Jersey schools.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 76.6%
- free-lunch eligible
John Fenwick Academy has class sizes larger than 94% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Fenwick Academy ranks #3 of 3 schools in Salem, NJ.
School address
District: Salem City School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341455005092 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+36% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.6%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+159% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Fenwick Academy compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Fenwick Academy
John Fenwick Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Salem, New Jersey, enrolling 387 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.1:1 is larger than about 94% of New Jersey schools and 36% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 76.6% of students qualify for free meals, 159% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 387 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 141 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #67.
Its student body is led by African American (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 129 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Salem City School District also operates Salem Middle School (472 students) and Salem High School (393 students) alongside John Fenwick 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 John Fenwick Academy compares
John Fenwick 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 | 16.1:1 | ▲ 36% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.6% | ▲ 159% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 159% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 36% above state mean
Top 94% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.9%
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
$25,600
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 129 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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
African American 64.6%
Hispanic or Latino 17.6%
White 11.4%
Two or More 5.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 64.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.5, John Fenwick Academy is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salem City School District, which includes John Fenwick Academy.
$25,600
Per student
+2%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+54%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.5%
State 72.9%
Federal 14.6%
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 Fenwick Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Salem High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Fenwick Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 393
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 (~387 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Fenwick Academy's federal record.
- Compare John Fenwick Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Salem City 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 Fenwick Academy
How many students attend John Fenwick Academy?
John Fenwick Academy has 387 students enrolled. It is a public school in Salem, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Fenwick Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at John Fenwick Academy is 16.1:1, which is 36% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Fenwick Academy?
76.6% of students at John Fenwick Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Fenwick Academy?
The largest demographic group at John Fenwick Academy is African American at 64.6% of enrollment, in Salem, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Fenwick Academy?
John Fenwick Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 John Fenwick Academy rank among schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, John Fenwick Academy ranks #3 of 3 schools in Salem, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Salem on the city page.
Is John Fenwick Academy a good school?
John Fenwick Academy earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Salem City School District?
Besides John Fenwick Academy, Salem City School District also operates Salem Middle School (472 students) and Salem High School (393 students). See the Salem City 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.