Enrollment
6,714
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newark, NJ
North Star Academy Charter School
Federal NCES profile for North Star Academy Charter School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 11/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 340002400289Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 4
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Star Academy Charter School earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Jersey.
- #42 of 42
- schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 11
- Resource Index · Lower
- 28.4:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 72.2%
- free-lunch eligible
North Star Academy Charter School has class sizes larger than 99% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Star Academy Charter School ranks #42 of 42 schools in Newark, NJ.
School address
District: North Star Academy Charter School · New Jersey
NCES ID 340002400289 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
236.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.4:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+141% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.2%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+144% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Star Academy Charter School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Star Academy Charter School
North Star Academy Charter School is a higher-need, large charter combined-grade school in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling 6,714 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.4:1 is larger than about 99% of New Jersey schools and 141% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 72.2% of students qualify for free meals, 144% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Jersey, bigger than 99% of state schools at 6,714 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is predominantly African American (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 480 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Among Newark's public schools, it stands alongside Great Oaks Legacy Charter School (2,169 students): North Star Academy Charter School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (28.4:1 vs 21.5:1).
North Star Academy Charter School is a single-school charter district, so North Star Academy Charter School operates independently rather than alongside district-mates. At 6,714 students, it is also among the largest single-school districts in New Jersey, well beyond the enrollment of a typical standalone charter.
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 North Star Academy Charter School compares
North Star Academy Charter 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 | 28.4:1 | ▲ 141% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.2% | ▲ 144% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 6,714 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.4:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
6,714
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 144% 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
28.4:1
students per teacher
- 141% above state mean
Top 99% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$20,158
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors14.0 FTE
Per 480 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
370
in-school suspensions + 395 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.4 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 81.4%
Hispanic or Latino 15.6%
Two or More 1.2%
White 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 81.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.3, North Star Academy Charter School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 23
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Star Academy Charter School, which includes North Star Academy Charter School.
$20,158
Per student
-19%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 78.0%
State 7.1%
Federal 14.9%
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.
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 (~6,714 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Star Academy Charter School's federal record.
- Compare North Star Academy Charter School against another school. Compare schools
- North Star Academy Charter School'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 North Star Academy Charter School
How many students attend North Star Academy Charter School?
North Star Academy Charter School has 6,714 students enrolled. It is a public school in Newark, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Star Academy Charter School?
The student-teacher ratio at North Star Academy Charter School is 28.4:1, which is 141% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 81% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Star Academy Charter School?
72.2% of students at North Star Academy Charter School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Star Academy Charter School?
The largest demographic group at North Star Academy Charter School is African American at 81.4% of enrollment, in Newark, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Star Academy Charter School?
North Star Academy Charter School has a Resource Investment Index of 11/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does North Star Academy Charter School rank among schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, North Star Academy Charter School ranks #42 of 42 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 North Star Academy Charter School a good school?
North Star Academy Charter School earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Jersey. 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 North Star Academy Charter School?
None; North Star Academy Charter School is a single-school charter district, and North Star Academy Charter School is its only campus.
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.