Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Summary:

Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is a public high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, serving 1,070 students in grades 9-12. The school faces significant challenges, with consistently low academic performance, high chronic absenteeism, and a dropout rate higher than the state and district averages.

Academically, Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy ranks in the bottom half of New Jersey high schools, with proficiency rates well below state and district levels, particularly in mathematics. The school's four-year graduation rate has improved in recent years, but remains lower than desired. Notably, the school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with African American, Hispanic, and White students, as well as English Language Learners and Special Education students, performing better than the overall school average.

Compared to nearby schools, Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy performs similarly to other high schools in the Elizabeth Public Schools district, such as Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy and Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy. However, the nearby Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy outperforms Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy significantly, ranking much higher among New Jersey high schools.


Detail:

Student/teacher ratio:  12.4 Help
Number of students:  1,070

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
75.9%
African American:
16.5%
White:
6.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  79.5% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy ranks worse than 69.7% of high schools in New Jersey. It also ranks 3rd among 7 ranked high schools in the Elizabeth Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.67. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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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 (75.9%), African American (16.5%), White (6.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 79.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is 12.4, which is the lowest among 7 high schools in the Elizabeth Public Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy employs 86 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is $11,734, which is the highest among 7 high schools in the Elizabeth Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy 294th of 422 New Jersey public high schools. (See Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Elizabeth Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Elizabeth Public Schools 508th of 615 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy?

Rank History for Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 8.27 344th 378 9.0%
2012 21.03 338th 388 12.9%
2013 7.25 366th 396 7.6%
2014 28.65 339th 411 17.5%
2015 25.38 320th 406 21.2%
2016 24.40 329th 409 19.6%
2017 16.26 367th 411 10.7%
2018 25.75 312th 415 24.8%
2019 19.93 327th 416 21.4%
2021 22.24 310th 405 23.5%
2022 24.15 306th 415 26.3%
2023 26.67 294th 422 30.3%
See the entire list of New Jersey High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.13 58th 146 60.3%
2019 41.95 61st 138 55.8%
2021 34.95 59th 101 41.6%
2022 41.37 59th 137 56.9%
2023 53.89 42nd 161 73.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.71 174th 355 51.0%
2019 41.88 168th 349 51.9%
2021 25.90 254th 333 23.7%
2022 48.11 126th 344 63.4%
2023 54.42 102nd 339 69.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.08 168th 345 51.3%
2019 45.91 146th 347 57.9%
2021 36.82 212th 326 35.0%
2022 49.57 111th 324 65.7%
2023 47.28 110th 344 68.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.62 318th 403 21.1%
2019 23.61 305th 408 25.2%
2021 20.61 328th 402 18.4%
2022 24.45 304th 414 26.6%
2023 23.61 303rd 416 27.2%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.51 324th 405 20.0%
2019 25.20 288th 407 29.2%
2021 25.87 296th 402 26.4%
2022 28.16 260th 410 36.6%
2023 29.83 248th 414 40.1%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.72 135th 266 49.2%
2019 53.96 92nd 254 63.8%
2021 35.70 151st 247 38.9%
2022 41.51 120th 256 53.1%
2023 47.15 92nd 250 63.2%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.10 206th 368 44.0%
2019 36.03 220th 364 39.6%
2021 32.27 257th 374 31.3%
2022 43.24 180th 382 52.9%
2023 43.97 170th 385 55.8%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.23 255th 340 25.0%
2019 33.18 203rd 339 40.1%
2021 29.40 227th 336 32.4%
2023 51.75 116th 335 65.4%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for White 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.

Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

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0%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Open Quote This school has come a long way. The strands that focus on student interests offer workshops and auditions to be discovered and get noticed. Plenty of afterschool activities to peak your interest. Avid and Apex to push you forward, and they work their hardest not to give up on any student. 17 years and I really love working their, with each graduating class, they give me a reason to keeping loving my job. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 74 292 5 555 0 0 0 0 926
2011 67 298 6 520 0 0 0 0 891
2012 60 290 7 479 0 0 0 0 836
2013 62 264 5 465 0 0 0 0 796
2014 72 256 8 490 0 0 0 0 826
2015 86 258 8 577 0 1 0 0 930
2016 96 273 7 688 0 2 0 0 1066
2017 83 255 6 732 0 3 0 0 1079
2018 98 250 6 759 0 3 0 0 1116
2019 90 237 6 785 0 3 1 0 1122
2020 74 211 6 765 0 1 0 0 1057
2021 65 194 5 835 0 1 1 0 1101
2022 63 188 5 803 0 2 0 1 1062
2023 69 177 9 812 1 1 0 1 1070

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 Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 926 78.0 11.8 78.7
2011 891 68.0 13.1 85.3
2012 836 73.7 11.3 79.2
2013 796 74.0 10.7 88.1
2014 826 84.0 9.8 82.3
2015 930 88.0 10.5 82.9
2016 1066 93.0 11.4 83.6
2017 1079 97.0 11.1 81.9
2018 1116 89.0 12.5 78.4
2019 1122 96.0 11.6 77.1
2020 1057 97.0 10.8 75.9
2021 1101 95.0 11.5 72.8
2022 1062 87.0 12.2 61.9
2023 1070 86.0 12.4 79.5

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 Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 926 78.0 11.8 78.7
2011 891 68.0 13.1 85.3
2012 836 73.7 11.3 79.2
2013 796 74.0 10.7 88.1
2014 826 84.0 9.8 82.3
2015 930 88.0 10.5 82.9
2016 1066 93.0 11.4 83.6
2017 1079 97.0 11.1 81.9
2018 1116 89.0 12.5 78.4
2019 1122 96.0 11.6 77.1
2020 1057 97.0 10.8 75.9
2021 1101 95.0 11.5 72.8
2022 1062 87.0 12.2 61.9
2023 1070 86.0 12.4 79.5

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 Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $255 (2.2%) $11,479 (97.8%) $11,734

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

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 327th of 416 High schoolsRanks 294th of 422 High schools
 8.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy)49.169.2
 20.1%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (Elizabeth Public Schools)48.454.8
 6.4%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)55.952.1
 3.8%
9th Grade Algebra I (Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy)06.7
 6.7%
   9th Grade Algebra I (Elizabeth Public Schools)03.4
 3.4%
   9th Grade Algebra I (New Jersey)27.219.4
 7.8%
9th Grade Geometry (Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy)3.511.8
 8.3%
   9th Grade Geometry (Elizabeth Public Schools)8.111.6
 3.5%
   9th Grade Geometry (New Jersey)59.150
 9.1%
9th Grade Algebra II (Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy)18.237.9
 19.7%
   9th Grade Algebra II (Elizabeth Public Schools)28.137
 8.9%
   9th Grade Algebra II (New Jersey)77.665.8
 11.8%
End of Course Algebra I (Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy)00
   End of Course Algebra I (Elizabeth Public Schools)25.918.7
 7.2%
   End of Course Algebra I (New Jersey)43.335.1
 8.2%
End of Course Geometry (Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy)3.911.7
 7.8%
   End of Course Geometry (Elizabeth Public Schools)12.214.9
 2.7%
   End of Course Geometry (New Jersey)32.251.2
 19%
End of Course Algebra II (Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy)1936.7
 17.7%
   End of Course Algebra II (Elizabeth Public Schools)18.835.5
 16.7%
   End of Course Algebra II (New Jersey)56.361.7
 5.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11221070
 4.6%
African American237177
 25.3%
American Indian01
Asian69
 50%
Hispanic785812
 3.4%
Pacific Islander31
 66.7%
White9069
 23.3%
Two or More Races10
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77.1%79.5%
 2.4%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,070 students attended Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy.

Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy ranks 294th of 422 New Jersey high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy are 76% Hispanic, 17% African American, 6% 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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