Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 37 schools in district

Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy

625 Summer St, Elizabeth, NJ 07202Elizabeth Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
810
Students
Total enrolled
75%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 13% vs nat'l
$27,821
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 94% vs nat'l
13.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 14% vs nat'l
42/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 17% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 810 students in grades 09–12 in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
94% above average funding
District spends $27,821 per pupil, 94% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 42th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy is a large high in Elizabeth, New Jersey, serving grades 09–12 with 810 students. The district invests $27,821 per student — 94% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 88% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The 75% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy

810
Total Students
13.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
88%
Free Lunch
61
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution503 male · 306 female
62%
38%
Male 62%Female 38%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility88%
National avg 52% · 710 students
Student Composition
73%
22%
White4%
Hispanic / Latino73%
Black22%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 340459003045

Academic Outcomes at Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
75
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
75%
State avg
92%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
42
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 42th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 38th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 07202

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$27,821Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$27,821
State avg
$47,079
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$12,241
Student Support$5,286
Administration$3,339
Operations$4,173
Other$2,782
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $27,821 spent per student, an estimated $12,325 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
81%
State government
80.6%
Local (property tax)
10.8%
Federal programs
8.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $27,821/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 75% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 88% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Toussaint Louverture-Marquis de Lafayette School No. 6Juan Pablo Duarte - Jose Julian Marti School No 28Jerome Dunn Academy No 9Dr. Antonia Pantoja School No. 27
+19 more
↓
Middle
Terence C. Reilly School No 7William F. Halloran School No.22
↓
High School
John E. Dwyer Technology AcademyAdmiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety AcademyElizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell AcademyThomas Jefferson Arts Academy
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyUnion County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictElizabeth Public Schools →
Phone: (908)436-6800
NCES ID: 340459003045
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Elizabeth seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Elizabeth Public Schools
High
John E. Dwyer Technology Academy
1,443 students · 09–12
● 42 opp79% FRL
High
Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy
1,299 students · 09–12
● 42 opp81% FRL
High
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy
1,281 students · 09–12
● 42 opp75% FRL
Mid
Terence C. Reilly School No 7
1,126 students · 02–08
76% FRL
Mid
William F. Halloran School No.22
1,089 students · 02–08
● 42 opp70% FRL
High
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
1,070 students · 09–12
80% FRL
Elem
Toussaint Louverture-Marquis de Lafayette School No. 6
1,042 students · PK–08
81% FRL
High
Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy
996 students · 09–12
● 44 opp80% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
625 Summer St, Elizabeth, NJ 07202
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.