Enrollment
359
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jersey City, NJ
Martin Center for the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Martin Center for the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 340783002838
👥 S:T ratio 63
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Martin Center for the Arts earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 85% of New Jersey schools.
- #20 of 28
- schools in Jersey City · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 9.2:1
- small classes for New Jersey
- 69.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Martin Center for the Arts has class sizes smaller than 85% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Martin Center for the Arts ranks #20 of 28 schools in Jersey City, NJ.
School address
District: Jersey City Public Schools · New Jersey
NCES ID 340783002838 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.2:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.9%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+136% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Martin Center for the Arts compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Martin Center for the Arts
Martin Center for the Arts is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Jersey City, New Jersey, enrolling 359 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.2:1, Martin Center for the Arts is leaner than roughly 85% of New Jersey schools and 22% under the state's 11.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 69.9% of students qualify for free meals, 136% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 359 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 166 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #139, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 359 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 92 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 359 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Jersey City's public schools, it stands alongside Beloved Community Charter School (1,573 students): Martin Center for the Arts is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.2:1 vs 15.7:1).
Jersey City Public Schools also operates William L Dickinson High School (1,786 students) and James J Ferris High School (1,364 students) alongside Martin Center for the Arts.
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 Martin Center for the Arts compares
Martin Center for the Arts 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 | 9.2:1 | ▼ 22% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.9% | ▲ 136% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 359 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.2:1
Leaner classes than 92% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
359
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 136% 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
9.2:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 15% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
58.2%
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
$26,862
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 359 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 92 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.6 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
African American 60.4%
Hispanic or Latino 32.3%
White 3.6%
Two or More 1.7%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 60.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.9, Martin Center for the Arts is about as mixed as the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jersey City Public Schools, which includes Martin Center for the Arts.
$26,862
Per student
+8%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+62%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.5%
State 53.5%
Federal 8.0%
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 Martin Center for the Arts Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William L Dickinson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James J Ferris High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cornelia F. Bradford School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joseph H. Brensinger School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Christa Mcauliffe School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Martin Center for the Arts's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,786
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,364
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,082
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 926
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Jersey City
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~359 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Martin Center for the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Martin Center for the Arts against another school. Compare schools
- Jersey City Public Schools'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 Martin Center for the Arts
How many students attend Martin Center for the Arts?
Martin Center for the Arts has 359 students enrolled. It is a public school in Jersey City, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Martin Center for the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Martin Center for the Arts is 9.2:1, which is 22% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 41% 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 Martin Center for the Arts?
69.9% of students at Martin Center for the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Martin Center for the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Martin Center for the Arts is African American at 60.4% of enrollment, in Jersey City, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Martin Center for the Arts?
Martin Center for the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Martin Center for the Arts rank among schools in Jersey City?
By Resource Investment Index, Martin Center for the Arts ranks #20 of 28 schools in Jersey City, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Jersey City on the city page.
Is Martin Center for the Arts a good school?
Martin Center for the Arts earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 85% 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 Jersey City Public Schools?
Besides Martin Center for the Arts, Jersey City Public Schools also operates William L Dickinson High School (1,786 students), James J Ferris High School (1,364 students), and Cornelia F. Bradford School (1,082 students). See the Jersey City Public Schools 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.