Enrollment
6,714
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 340002400289 Charter school
North Star Academy Charter School — Newark, NJ
Federal NCES profile for North Star Academy Charter School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 11/100.
👥 Class size 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 4
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: North Star Academy Charter School · New Jersey
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
236.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.9:1
vs 11.9:1 New Jersey avg
+126% 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
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
North Star Academy Charter School reports 6,714 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 236.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 26.9:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 126% above the New Jersey state mean of 11.9:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 69% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 72.2% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 144% above the New Jersey average and 39% above the national baseline. Counselor coverage works out to roughly 480 students per counselor, above the ASCA-recommended ceiling of 250:1.
On the finance side, the surrounding North Star Academy Charter School spends $20,367 per pupil district-wide, below the New Jersey average of $29,189 and above the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 78.0% from local sources (property taxes), 7.1% from the state, and 14.9% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 11/100 (F), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How North Star Academy Charter School compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against New Jersey state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 26.9:1 | ▲ 126% | 11.9:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.2% | ▲ 144% | 29.6% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 6,714 | top 100% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
72.2%
free-lunch eligible
— 144% 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
26.9:1
students per teacher
— 126% above state mean
Top 99% in New Jersey — lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Above 20:1 — larger class loads than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is stretched relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$20,367
per pupil, district-wide
— below New Jersey avg of $29,189
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting 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
Enrollment 6,714 Top 100% in New Jersey — larger than 0% of 2,509 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 236.0
Students per teacher 26.9:1 +126% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 72.2% +144% vs state
NCES ID 340002400289
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.
Programs & staff
AP courses offered 23
Counselors (FTE) 14.0
Students per counselor 480:1
Discipline & special education
In-school suspensions 370
Out-of-school suspensions 395
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Star Academy Charter School, which includes North Star Academy Charter School.
$20,367
Per student
-30%
vs New Jersey
Avg $29,189
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
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.
Team Academy Charter School
Standard public school
6,406 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Marion P. Thomas Charter School
Standard public school
1,410 students
Lafayette Street School
Standard public school
1,213 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
First Avenue School
Standard public school
1,084 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Oliver Street School
Standard public school
1,034 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Science Park High School
Standard public school
964 students 14:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
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 other 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 26.9:1, which is 126% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.9:1 and 69% higher than the national average of 15.9:1.
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%. The school serves a diverse student body 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 (F) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.