Enrollment
776
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Passaic, NJ
Mario Drago School No. 3
Federal NCES profile for Mario Drago School No. 3, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341254004840
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mario Drago School No. 3 earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of New Jersey schools.
- #5 of 9
- schools in Passaic · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.9:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 98.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Mario Drago School No. 3 has class sizes larger than 74% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mario Drago School No. 3 ranks #5 of 9 schools in Passaic, NJ.
School address
District: Passaic City School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341254004840 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.8%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+234% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mario Drago School No. 3 compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mario Drago School No. 3
Mario Drago School No. 3 is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Passaic, New Jersey, enrolling 776 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 12.9:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 98.8% of students qualify for free meals, 234% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 776 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Among 22 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 259 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Passaic's public schools, it stands alongside Passaic Arts and Science Charter School (2,175 students): Mario Drago School No. 3 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.9:1 vs 17.3:1).
Passaic City School District also operates Passaic High School No. 12 (2,484 students) and Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25 (903 students) alongside Mario Drago School No. 3.
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 Mario Drago School No. 3 compares
Mario Drago School No. 3 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 | 12.9:1 | ▲ 9% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.8% | ▲ 234% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 776 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
776
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 234% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 74% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
23.7%
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
$27,936
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 259 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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
Hispanic or Latino 85.1%
Asian 6.1%
White 3.9%
African American 2.8%
Two or More 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 85.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.9, Mario Drago School No. 3 is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Passaic City School District, which includes Mario Drago School No. 3.
$27,936
Per student
+12%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+68%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 4.4%
State 82.9%
Federal 12.7%
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 Mario Drago School No. 3 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passaic High School No. 12 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William B. Cruise Memorial School No. 11 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 6 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Passaic Gifted and Talented Academy School No. 20 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mario Drago School No. 3's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,484
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 903
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 805
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 754
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 742
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Passaic
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Passaic Arts and Science Charter School
Standard public school
2,175 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 6
Standard public school
754 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Passaic Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
710 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Passaic Academy for Science and Engineering
Standard public school
650 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Ulysses S. Grant School No. 7
Standard public school
289 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
School No.16
Standard public school
272 students 12.4:1 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 (~776 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mario Drago School No. 3's federal record.
- Compare Mario Drago School No. 3 against another school. Compare schools
- Passaic 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 Mario Drago School No. 3
How many students attend Mario Drago School No. 3?
Mario Drago School No. 3 has 776 students enrolled. It is a public school in Passaic, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mario Drago School No. 3?
The student-teacher ratio at Mario Drago School No. 3 is 12.9:1, which is 9% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 18% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mario Drago School No. 3?
98.8% of students at Mario Drago School No. 3 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mario Drago School No. 3?
The largest demographic group at Mario Drago School No. 3 is Hispanic or Latino at 85.1% of enrollment, in Passaic, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mario Drago School No. 3?
Mario Drago School No. 3 has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 Mario Drago School No. 3 rank among schools in Passaic?
By Resource Investment Index, Mario Drago School No. 3 ranks #5 of 9 schools in Passaic, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Passaic on the city page.
Is Mario Drago School No. 3 a good school?
Mario Drago School No. 3 earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% 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 Passaic City School District?
Besides Mario Drago School No. 3, Passaic City School District also operates Passaic High School No. 12 (2,484 students), Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25 (903 students), and William B. Cruise Memorial School No. 11 (805 students). See the Passaic 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.