Enrollment
397
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Orange, NJ
Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation
Federal NCES profile for Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 341227002410
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of New Jersey schools.
- #6 of 9
- public schools in Orange · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 7.9:1
- small classes for New Jersey
- 68.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation has class sizes smaller than 93% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation ranks #6 of 9 public schools in Orange, NJ.
School address
District: Orange Board of Education School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341227002410 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7.9:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.8%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+132% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation
Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Orange, New Jersey, enrolling 397 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7.9:1, Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation is leaner than roughly 93% of New Jersey schools and 33% under the state's 11.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 68.8% of students qualify for free meals, 132% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 397 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 202 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #56.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (52%) and African American (47%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 199 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Orange Board of Education School District also operates Orange High School (1,368 students) and Lincoln Avenue Elementary School (728 students) alongside Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation.
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 Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation compares
Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation 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 | 7.9:1 | ▼ 33% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.8% | ▲ 132% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 397 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.9:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
397
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 132% 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
7.9:1
students per teacher
- 33% below state mean
Top 7% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
44.6%
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
$22,065
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 199 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.3 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 52.1%
African American 47.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
White 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.7, Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation is about as mixed as the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orange Board of Education School District, which includes Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation.
$22,065
Per student
-12%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.6%
State 78.6%
Federal 9.8%
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 Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Avenue Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rosa Parks Community School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Park Avenue Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forest Street Community Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,368
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 728
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 593
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 423
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar middle 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 (~397 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~7.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation's federal record.
- Compare Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation against another school. Compare schools
- Orange Board of Education 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 Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation
How many students attend Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation?
Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation has 397 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Orange, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation?
The student-teacher ratio at Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation is 7.9:1, which is 33% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 50% 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 Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation?
68.8% of students at Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation?
The largest demographic group at Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation is Hispanic or Latino at 52.1% of enrollment, in Orange, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation?
Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation rank among public schools in Orange?
By Resource Investment Index, Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation ranks #6 of 9 public schools in Orange, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Orange on the city page.
Is Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation a good school?
Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% 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 Orange Board of Education School District?
Besides Orange Preparatory Academy School of Inquiry and Innovation, Orange Board of Education School District also operates Orange High School (1,368 students), Lincoln Avenue Elementary School (728 students), and Rosa Parks Community School (593 students). See the Orange Board of Education School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Compare schools
Side-by-side comparison tool
Schools in New Jersey
All public schools in New Jersey
Orange Board of Education School District
All schools in this district
Schools in Orange
All schools in this city
School districts
Ranked by enrollment & spending
Rankings
Best schools by state & type
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.