Enrollment
198
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newark, NJ
Michelle Obama Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Michelle Obama Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341134003531
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Michelle Obama Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of New Jersey schools.
- #2 of 9
- schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 69.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Michelle Obama Elementary School has class sizes larger than 92% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Michelle Obama Elementary School ranks #2 of 9 schools in Newark, NJ.
School address
District: Newark Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341134003531 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.5%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+135% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Michelle Obama Elementary School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Michelle Obama Elementary School
Michelle Obama Elementary School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling 198 students.
Class loads run heavy: 15.2:1 is larger than about 92% of New Jersey schools and 29% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 69.5% of students qualify for free meals, 135% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 198 puts it in the smaller third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 52 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #26.
Its student body is predominantly African American (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Newark's public schools, it stands alongside Great Oaks Legacy Charter School (2,169 students): Michelle Obama Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 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 Michelle Obama Elementary 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 Michelle Obama Elementary School compares
Michelle Obama Elementary 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 | 15.2:1 | ▲ 29% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.5% | ▲ 135% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 198 | top 89% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
198
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 135% 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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 92% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
9.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 81.8%
Hispanic or Latino 15.2%
Two or More 2.5%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 81.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.7, Michelle Obama Elementary School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newark Public School District, which includes Michelle Obama Elementary 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 Michelle Obama Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Side High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Barringer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ann Street School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lafayette Street School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| First Avenue School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Michelle Obama Elementary 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 (~198 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Michelle Obama Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Michelle Obama Elementary 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 Michelle Obama Elementary School
How many students attend Michelle Obama Elementary School?
Michelle Obama Elementary School has 198 students enrolled. It is a public school in Newark, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Michelle Obama Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Michelle Obama Elementary School is 15.2:1, which is 29% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Michelle Obama Elementary School?
69.5% of students at Michelle Obama Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Michelle Obama Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Michelle Obama Elementary School is African American at 81.8% of enrollment, in Newark, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Michelle Obama Elementary School?
Michelle Obama Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Michelle Obama Elementary School rank among schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, Michelle Obama Elementary School ranks #2 of 9 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 Michelle Obama Elementary School a good school?
Michelle Obama Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Michelle Obama Elementary 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.