Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Other· 1 schools in district

North Star Academy Charter School

10 WASHINGTON PLACE, NEWARK, NJ 07102North Star Academy Charter School →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–12Charter
6,352
Students
Total enrolled
$20,367
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 42% vs nat'l
26.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 74% vs nat'l
44/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 12% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 6,352 students in grades KG–12 in NEWARK, New Jersey.
42% above average funding
District spends $20,367 per pupil, 42% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 44th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

North Star Academy Charter School is a very large other in NEWARK, New Jersey, serving grades KG–12 with 6,352 students. The district invests $20,367 per student — 42% above the national average of $14,347, with a 26.9:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 84% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at North Star Academy Charter School

6,352
Total Students
26.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
84%
Free Lunch
236
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution3,157 male · 3,195 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility84%
National avg 52% · 5,314 students
Student Composition
17%
81%
White1%
Hispanic / Latino17%
Black81%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 340002400289

Academic Outcomes at North Star Academy Charter School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
44
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 44th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 52th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 07102

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,367Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$20,367
State avg
$47,079
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,962
Student Support$3,870
Administration$2,444
Operations$3,055
Other$2,037
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $20,367 spent per student, an estimated $9,023 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
78%
State government
7.1%
Local (property tax)
78.0%
Federal programs
14.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $20,367/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Charter school — may offer specialized curriculum or alternative teaching approaches
Worth Considering
  • 26.9:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
  • 84% 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.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelOther
GradesKG – 12
Location—
CountyEssex County
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictNorth Star Academy Charter School →
Phone: (973)642-0101
NCES ID: 340002400289
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in NEWARK seeking a charter 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 North Star Academy Charter School
No other schools found
District School Rankings
Location
10 WASHINGTON PLACE, NEWARK, NJ 07102
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.

Other
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.