The Gray Charter School

Summary:

The Gray Charter School is a public charter elementary school in Newark, New Jersey, serving 344 students from kindergarten to 8th grade. The school consistently outperforms the state and nearby public schools, including Newark Educators Community Charter School and Ironbound Academy Elementary School, in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels.

In the 2022-2023 school year, The Gray Charter School had impressive proficiency rates in English Language Arts, ranging from 65.6% in 3rd grade to 100% in 7th and 8th grades, significantly higher than the state averages. In Mathematics, the school's proficiency rates were also strong, ranging from 28.6% in 6th grade to 92.5% in 5th grade, again exceeding the state averages. The school's performance in Science was also noteworthy, with 55% of 5th-grade students and 41.2% of 8th-grade students proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 26.8% and 18.6%, respectively.

The Gray Charter School's success extends beyond academic performance, as the school has consistently maintained low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 0% in the 2017-2018 school year to 21% in the 2021-2022 school year, in contrast to some nearby public schools like Quitman Street School (42.8%) and East Ward Elementary School (90.69% free or reduced-price lunch). The Gray Charter School's strong performance across various student subgroups, including African American, Hispanic, and low-socioeconomic status students, indicates a commitment to equity and inclusion.


Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

 55 Liberty Street
       Newark, NJ  07102


(973) 824-6661

District: Gray Charter School

SchoolDigger Rank:
228th of 1,342 New Jersey Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,242 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  19.1 Help
Number of students:  344

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
62.5%
African American:
34.3%
Asian:
1.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  65.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details The Gray Charter School ranks better than 83% of elementary schools in New Jersey. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 82.87. (See more...)
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Compare Details The Gray Charter School ranks better than 87.8% of middle schools in New Jersey. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 83.93. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (62.5%), African American (34.3%), Asian (1.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 65.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at The Gray Charter School is 19.1. (See more...)
Help
Compare The Gray Charter School employs 18 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at The Gray Charter School is $9,242.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

The Gray Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks The Gray Charter School 228th of 1342 New Jersey public elementary schools. (See The Gray Charter School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks The Gray Charter School 91st of 748 New Jersey public middle schools. (See The Gray Charter School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Hispanic students:


Gray Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Gray Charter School 88th of 615 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for The Gray Charter School?

Rank History for The Gray Charter School

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 2.71 1142nd 1204 5.1%
2004 77.36 259th 1298 80.0%
2005 82.48 98th 1303 92.5%
2006 56.40 759th 1314 42.2%
2007 54.29 811th 1329 39.0%
2008 62.43 629th 1338 53.0%
2009 61.57 627th 1346 53.4%
2010 73.05 383rd 1354 71.7%
2011 73.03 387th 1360 71.5%
2012 80.00 218th 1363 84.0%
2013 83.09 146th 1367 89.3%
2014 71.77 437th 1363 67.9%
2015 66.16 482nd 1357 64.5%
2016 56.59 619th 1346 54.0%
2017 76.70 341st 1352 74.8%
2018 82.13 226th 1353 83.3%
2019 88.27 117th 1360 91.4%
2021 74.65 299th 1317 77.3%
2022 86.41 180th 1345 86.6%
2023 82.87 228th 1342 83.0%
See the entire list of New Jersey Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 97.18 14th 942 98.5%
2019 99.97 1st 948 99.9%
2021 98.84 5th 839 99.4%
2022 99.79 5th 863 99.4%
2023 96.60 17th 910 98.1%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.22 239th 1333 82.1%
2019 86.51 133rd 1331 90.0%
2021 70.58 311th 1290 75.9%
2022 85.96 168th 1326 87.3%
2023 74.02 352nd 1318 73.3%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.79 168th 1334 87.4%
2019 86.72 125th 1335 90.6%
2021 71.02 322nd 1297 75.2%
2022 84.09 201st 1324 84.8%
2023 89.43 113th 1315 91.4%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.65 32nd 517 93.8%
2019 99.47 7th 522 98.7%
2021 98.29 3rd 456 99.3%
2022 95.42 17th 494 96.6%
2023 97.78 7th 463 98.5%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 97.72 16th 870 98.2%
2019 87.13 78th 899 91.3%
2021 95.88 36th 896 96.0%
2022 98.80 8th 953 99.2%
2023 95.11 40th 982 95.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: New Jersey Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for The Gray Charter School

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Rank History for all middle school students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 7.59 526th 588 10.5%
2005 48.69 389th 599 35.1%
2007 38.39 465th 631 26.3%
2008 44.08 436th 640 31.9%
2009 55.73 379th 664 42.9%
2010 66.79 279th 677 58.8%
2011 65.99 276th 684 59.6%
2012 71.69 231st 677 65.9%
2013 67.01 273rd 704 61.2%
2014 66.81 280th 717 60.9%
2015 77.45 124th 713 82.6%
2016 74.06 153rd 713 78.5%
2017 86.58 57th 712 92.0%
2018 86.86 52nd 716 92.7%
2019 76.33 163rd 745 78.1%
2021 86.03 70th 652 89.3%
2022 92.98 29th 745 96.1%
2023 83.93 91st 748 87.8%
See the entire list of New Jersey Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 98.21 10th 467 97.9%
2022 99.88 3rd 549 99.5%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 92.47 26th 625 95.8%
2022 93.31 26th 726 96.4%
2023 56.05 284th 720 60.6%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 72.69 142nd 635 77.6%
2022 71.96 169th 730 76.8%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 96.37 6th 291 97.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at The Gray Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 68.00 129th 524 75.4%
2021 96.79 9th 480 98.1%
2022 99.59 3rd 591 99.5%
2023 93.17 17th 587 97.1%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: New Jersey Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

The Gray Charter School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, January 13, 2022

Open Quote I had such high hopes for this school. I am a very involved parent, but my wife and I both feel that this school tries to fail children so easily in the early stages. They force children into a very rigid mold as opposed to building off their strengths. This has been an incredibly discouraging and disappointing experience for our family. I understand that the upper school students score well in standardized tests, but their lower school curriculum is in desperate need of reframing, it just is not realistic for children at the first stages of schooling. I would encourage family-involved projects instead of hours and hours of daily after school busywork that will only serve to burn these kids out so early in their education. This is a prime time to foster a love of learning for children and their families- not a dreading of overly tedious and frustrating daily homework assignments. The Gray Charter School is not correct in how it’s designed its program for its youngest learners. I hope they read this review and take a second look at this for future generations. Close Quote



Enrollment information for The Gray Charter School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2001 0 126 0 10 0 n/a n/a 0 136
2002 0 212 0 16 0 n/a n/a 0 228
2003 0 212 0 16 0 n/a n/a 0 228
2004 4 220 2 18 0 n/a n/a 0 244
2005 3 252 2 25 0 n/a n/a 0 282
2006 4 251 2 32 0 n/a n/a 0 289
2007 3 274 1 28 0 n/a n/a 0 306
2008 6 263 10 29 0 n/a n/a 0 308
2009 6 247 4 33 0 0 0 0 290
2010 3 232 6 45 0 0 0 0 286
2011 0 221 5 35 0 0 0 0 261
2012 3 220 7 53 0 0 0 0 283
2013 1 125 6 33 0 0 0 0 165
2014 16 160 5 115 0 0 0 0 296
2015 17 160 5 144 0 0 0 0 326
2016 18 151 9 152 1 0 0 0 331
2017 21 141 12 170 1 0 2 0 347
2018 20 120 10 183 1 0 2 0 336
2019 21 122 8 200 0 0 1 0 352
2020 7 120 8 208 0 0 1 0 344
2021 8 120 7 228 0 0 1 0 364
2022 5 111 5 233 0 0 1 0 355
2023 4 118 6 215 0 0 1 0 344

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at The Gray Charter School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 136 0.0 0.0 72.8
2002 228 15.0 15.2 75.4
2003 228 15.0 15.2 75.4
2004 244 24.9 9.8 70.5
2005 282 18.9 14.9 n/a
2006 289 18.0 16.1 71.6
2007 306 20.0 15.3 72.5
2008 308 23.0 13.4 73.7
2009 290 23.0 12.6 69.7
2010 286 23.0 12.4 72.7
2011 261 23.0 11.3 74.7
2012 283 22.0 12.8 88.7
2013 165 n/a n/a 78.8
2014 296 8.6 34.4 67.9
2015 326 20.0 16.3 64.7
2016 331 18.0 18.3 79.8
2017 347 19.0 18.2 65.4
2018 336 18.0 18.6 78.6
2019 352 20.0 17.6 78.4
2020 344 20.0 17.2 66
2021 364 19.0 19.1 68.1
2022 355 17.0 20.8 51.8
2023 344 18.0 19.1 65.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio The Gray Charter School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 136 0.0 0.0 72.8
2002 228 15.0 15.2 75.4
2003 228 15.0 15.2 75.4
2004 244 24.9 9.8 70.5
2005 282 18.9 14.9 n/a
2006 289 18.0 16.1 71.6
2007 306 20.0 15.3 72.5
2008 308 23.0 13.4 73.7
2009 290 23.0 12.6 69.7
2010 286 23.0 12.4 72.7
2011 261 23.0 11.3 74.7
2012 283 22.0 12.8 88.7
2013 165 n/a n/a 78.8
2014 296 8.6 34.4 67.9
2015 326 20.0 16.3 64.7
2016 331 18.0 18.3 79.8
2017 347 19.0 18.2 65.4
2018 336 18.0 18.6 78.6
2019 352 20.0 17.6 78.4
2020 344 20.0 17.2 66
2021 364 19.0 19.1 68.1
2022 355 17.0 20.8 51.8
2023 344 18.0 19.1 65.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for The Gray Charter School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,298 (14.0%) $7,944 (86.0%) $9,242

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on The Gray Charter School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 117th of 1360 Elementary schoolsRanks 228th of 1342 Elementary schools
 8.4%
Ranks 163rd of 745 Middle schoolsRanks 91st of 748 Middle schools
 9.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (The Gray Charter School)94.865.6
 29.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Gray Charter School)94.865.6
 29.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)50.242
 8.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (The Gray Charter School)94.968.8
 26.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Gray Charter School)94.968.8
 26.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)55.145.9
 9.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (The Gray Charter School)85.372.2
 13.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Gray Charter School)85.372.2
 13.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)57.451.3
 6.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (The Gray Charter School)79.455.6
 23.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Gray Charter School)79.455.6
 23.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)5144.3
 6.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (The Gray Charter School)96.995
 1.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Gray Charter School)96.995
 1.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)57.953.2
 4.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (The Gray Charter School)87.592.5
 5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Gray Charter School)87.592.5
 5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)46.840.1
 6.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (The Gray Charter School)64.381
 16.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Gray Charter School)64.381
 16.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)56.149
 7.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (The Gray Charter School)42.928.6
 14.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Gray Charter School)42.928.6
 14.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)40.634.3
 6.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (The Gray Charter School)100100
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Gray Charter School)100100
   7th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)62.855.7
 7.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (The Gray Charter School)52.989.5
 36.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Gray Charter School)52.989.5
 36.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)42.133.8
 8.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (The Gray Charter School)81.3100
 18.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Gray Charter School)81.3100
 18.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)62.955.3
 7.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (The Gray Charter School)81.388.2
 6.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Gray Charter School)81.388.2
 6.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)29.317.8
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students352344
 2.3%
African American122118
 3.3%
American Indian00
Asian86
 25%
Hispanic200215
 7.5%
Pacific Islander00
White214
 81%
Two or More Races11
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients78.4%65.4%
 13%


Schools Near The Gray Charter School









Frequently Asked Questions about The Gray Charter School

In the 2022-23 school year, 344 students attended The Gray Charter School.

The Gray Charter School ranks 228th of 1342 New Jersey elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at The Gray Charter School are 63% Hispanic, 34% African American, 2% Asian, 1% White.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Jersey Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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