Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 62 schools in district

Rafael Hernandez School

345 BROADWAY, NEWARK, NJ 07104Newark Public School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
553
Students
Total enrolled
$40,780
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 184% vs nat'l
11.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 25% vs nat'l
35/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 30% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 553 students in grades PK–08 in NEWARK, New Jersey.
184% above average funding
District spends $40,780 per pupil, 184% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 35th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Rafael Hernandez School is a large elementary in NEWARK, New Jersey, serving grades PK–08 with 553 students. The district invests $40,780 per student — 184% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 80% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 35/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Rafael Hernandez School

553
Total Students
11.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
80%
Free Lunch
48
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution288 male · 265 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility80%
National avg 52% · 440 students
Student Composition
69%
26%
Asian1%
White4%
Hispanic / Latino69%
Black26%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 341134000091

Academic Outcomes at Rafael Hernandez School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
35
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 35th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 10th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 07104

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$40,780Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$40,780
State avg
$47,079
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$17,943
Student Support$7,748
Administration$4,894
Operations$6,117
Other$4,078
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $40,780 spent per student, an estimated $18,066 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
79%
State government
79.3%
Local (property tax)
10.8%
Federal programs
9.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $40,780/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (35/100) — national median is 50
  • 80% 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
Ann Street SchoolLafayette Street SchoolWilson Avenue SchoolFirst Avenue School
+18 more
↓
High School
East Side High SchoolBarringer High SchoolScience Park High SchoolCentral High School
+4 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyEssex County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictNewark Public School District →
Phone: (973)481-5004
NCES ID: 341134000091
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in NEWARK seeking a public elementary 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 Newark Public School District
High
East Side High School
2,255 students · 09–12
● 52 opp77% FRL
High
Barringer High School
1,734 students · 09–12
● 35 opp72% FRL
Elem
Ann Street School
1,200 students · KG–08
● 52 opp78% FRL
Elem
Lafayette Street School
1,180 students · PK–08
● 52 opp91% FRL
Elem
Wilson Avenue School
1,099 students · KG–08
● 32 opp84% FRL
Elem
First Avenue School
1,083 students · PK–08
● 43 opp85% FRL
Elem
Oliver Street School
1,045 students · PK–08
● 52 opp84% FRL
High
Science Park High School
938 students · 07–12
● 44 opp63% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
345 BROADWAY, NEWARK, NJ 07104
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.