- Enrollment
- 1,798
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · East Orange, NJ
John L. Costley Middle School
Federal NCES profile for John L. Costley Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 340423005930
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 67
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John L. Costley Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in East Orange · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- students per teacher
- 55.9%
- free-lunch eligible
John L. Costley Middle School has class sizes near the New Jersey median. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John L. Costley Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in East Orange, NJ.
School address
District: East Orange School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 340423005930 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-13 students YoY
John L. Costley Middle School held near 320 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-13 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 27.9 → 25.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-13 students YoY 340423005930 · East Orange, NJ Middle · SMALL · TRAD
334 enr · 12.4:1 · 55.9% lunch · RII 39
Nearest enrollment peer: East Orange Campus High School (1,798 students)
John L. Costley Middle School held near 320 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-13 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 27.9 → 25.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Jersey schools → · Find another →
John L. Costley Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- East Orange Ca
East Orange Campus High School
1,798 students
- Cicely L. Tyso 701
Cicely L. Tyson Community Middle/High School
701 students
- East Orange St 646
East Orange Stem Academy High School
646 students
- Edward T. Bows 612
Edward T. Bowser Sr. School of Excellence
612 students
- Langston Hughe 554
Langston Hughes Elementary School
554 students
- This school 334
John L. Costley Middle School
334 students
What this shows John L. Costley Middle School reports 334 students on the CCD universe file.
How John L. Costley Middle School compares
John L. Costley Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▲ 5% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.9% | ▲ 89% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 334 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
334
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
55.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 89% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 67% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
36.5%
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
$30,322
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Jersey avg of $26,225
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 167 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 61 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 70.4%
Hispanic or Latino 22.8%
White 4.5%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Two or More 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 70.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.0, John L. Costley Middle School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
District finance for East Orange School District reports $30,322 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How John L. Costley Middle School 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Orange Stem Academy High School | Larger | Similar 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John L. Costley Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~334 students)
Frequently asked questions about John L. Costley Middle School
How many students attend John L. Costley Middle School?
John L. Costley Middle School has 334 students enrolled. It is a middle school in East Orange, NJ. CCD year-over-year: 333 (2022-23) → 320 (2023-24), nearly flat (-13).
What is the student-teacher ratio at John L. Costley Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at John L. Costley Middle School is 12.4:1, which is 5% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 21% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John L. Costley Middle School?
55.9% of students at John L. Costley Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John L. Costley Middle School?
The largest demographic group at John L. Costley Middle School is African American at 70.4% of enrollment, in East Orange, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John L. Costley Middle School?
John L. Costley Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does John L. Costley Middle School rank among middle schools in East Orange?
By Resource Investment Index, John L. Costley Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle 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 middle schools in East Orange on the city page.
What other schools are in East Orange School District?
Besides John L. Costley Middle School, 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.