Enrollment
545
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newark, NJ
Sussex Avenue School
Federal NCES profile for Sussex Avenue School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341134002360
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sussex Avenue School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of New Jersey schools.
- #28 of 42
- schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 70.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Sussex Avenue School has class sizes larger than 96% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sussex Avenue School ranks #28 of 42 schools in Newark, NJ.
School address
District: Newark Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341134002360 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.8%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+139% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sussex Avenue School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sussex Avenue School
Sussex Avenue School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling 545 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17:1 is larger than about 96% of New Jersey schools and 44% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 70.8% of students qualify for free meals, 139% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 545 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 224 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #187, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (77%) and African American (21%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 545 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Newark's public schools, it stands alongside Great Oaks Legacy Charter School (2,169 students): Sussex Avenue School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17:1 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 Sussex Avenue 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 Sussex Avenue School compares
Sussex Avenue 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 | 17:1 | ▲ 44% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.8% | ▲ 139% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 545 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
545
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 139% 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
17:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 96% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.5%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 545 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 77.2%
African American 21.1%
White 1.3%
Two or More 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 77.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.9, Sussex Avenue 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 Sussex Avenue 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 Sussex Avenue School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Side High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Barringer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ann Street School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lafayette Street School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| First Avenue School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sussex Avenue 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 (~545 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sussex Avenue School's federal record.
- Compare Sussex Avenue 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 Sussex Avenue School
How many students attend Sussex Avenue School?
Sussex Avenue School has 545 students enrolled. It is a public school in Newark, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sussex Avenue School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sussex Avenue School is 17:1, which is 44% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sussex Avenue School?
70.8% of students at Sussex Avenue School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sussex Avenue School?
The largest demographic group at Sussex Avenue School is Hispanic or Latino at 77.2% of enrollment, in Newark, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sussex Avenue School?
Sussex Avenue School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 Sussex Avenue School rank among schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, Sussex Avenue School ranks #28 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 Sussex Avenue School a good school?
Sussex Avenue School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Sussex Avenue 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.