Enrollment
1,144
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Elizabeth, NJ
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 340459003049
👥 S:T ratio 47
📚 AP courses 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of New Jersey schools.
- #3 of 8
- high schools in Elizabeth · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 66.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy has class sizes larger than 79% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy ranks #3 of 8 high schools in Elizabeth, NJ.
School address
District: Elizabeth Public Schools · New Jersey
NCES ID 340459003049 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
86.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.8%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+126% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is a higher-need, large high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, enrolling 1,144 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 66.8% of students qualify for free meals, 126% 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 93% of state schools at 1,144 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 106 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #30.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (76%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 39/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 10 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 229 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 10 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Elizabeth's high schools, it stands alongside John E. Dwyer Technology Academy (1,348 students): Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 13.8:1).
Elizabeth Public Schools also operates John E. Dwyer Technology Academy (1,348 students) and Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy (1,272 students) alongside Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy.
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 Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy compares
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy 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 | 13.3:1 | ▲ 13% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.8% | ▲ 126% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,144 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,144
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 126% 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
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 79% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.0%
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
$24,380
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 229 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 170 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 10 expulsions.
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 75.7%
African American 16.6%
White 7.0%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 75.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.4, Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Elizabeth Public Schools, which includes Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy.
$24,380
Per student
-2%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.8%
State 80.6%
Federal 8.7%
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 Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John E. Dwyer Technology Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William F. Halloran School No.22 | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Terence C. Reilly School No 7 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,348
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,268
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 1,140
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,130
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar high schools in Elizabeth
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
John E. Dwyer Technology Academy
Standard public school
1,348 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy
Standard public school
1,272 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
1,015 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Thomas a. Edison Career and Technical Academy
Standard public school
842 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy
Standard public school
740 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
J. Christian Bollwage Finance Academy
Standard public school
415 students
Similar high 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 (~1,144 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Elizabeth Public Schools'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 Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
How many students attend Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy?
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy has 1,144 students enrolled. It is a high school in Elizabeth, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is 13.3:1, which is 13% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy?
66.8% of students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 75.7% of enrollment, in Elizabeth, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy?
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy rank among high schools in Elizabeth?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy ranks #3 of 8 high schools in Elizabeth, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Elizabeth on the city page.
Is Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy a good school?
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% 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 Elizabeth Public Schools?
Besides Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy, Elizabeth Public Schools also operates John E. Dwyer Technology Academy (1,348 students), Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy (1,272 students), and Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy (1,268 students). See the Elizabeth Public Schools 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.