Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Summary:

Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School is a public elementary school in Jersey City, New Jersey, serving 674 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The student body is predominantly African American and Hispanic, with a high percentage of students from low-income families.

Despite the school's challenges, there are some bright spots. African American and Hispanic students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary generally perform better than the overall school, ranking in the top half of their respective subgroups statewide. However, the school's overall academic performance is significantly below state and district averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 33.8% to 42% in English Language Arts and 17.8% to 25% in Mathematics. The school's science assessment scores are also low, with only 10.8% of 5th-grade students proficient or better, compared to the state average of 26.8%. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, rising from 16% in 2016-2017 to 33.5% in 2021-2022.

Interestingly, the nearby Soaring Heights Charter School significantly outperforms the district schools on academic measures, suggesting that the challenges at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary may be systemic within the Jersey City Public Schools district. Additionally, the school's per-student spending of $9,010 in 2018-2019 is lower than some nearby schools, indicating that funding alone may not be the primary driver of the school's academic performance.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 239 Ocean Avenue
       Jersey City, NJ  07305-2626


(201) 915-6470

District: Jersey City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1034th of 1,342 New Jersey Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,010 Help


Students who attend Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Ezra L. Nolan School
High:    Henry Snyder High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.2 Help
Number of students:  674

Racial breakdown:

African American:
46.4%
Hispanic:
39.2%
White:
5.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  58% Help


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 Compare Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School ranks worse than 77% of elementary schools in New Jersey. It also ranks 17th among 26 ranked elementary schools in the Jersey City Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.21. (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: African American (46.4%), Hispanic (39.2%), White (5.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 58% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School is 16.2. 23 elementary schools in the Jersey City Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School employs 41.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School is $9,010. 24 elementary schools in the Jersey City Public Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School 1034th of 1342 New Jersey public elementary schools. (See Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary 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:


Jersey City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Jersey City Public Schools 459th of 615 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School?

Rank History for Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 7.31 1084th 1204 10.0%
2004 12.10 1152nd 1298 11.2%
2005 24.09 1085th 1303 16.7%
2006 27.20 1079th 1314 17.9%
2007 27.40 1088th 1329 18.1%
2008 13.24 1200th 1338 10.3%
2009 22.80 1130th 1346 16.0%
2010 19.45 1164th 1354 14.0%
2011 26.68 1098th 1360 19.3%
2012 17.52 1167th 1363 14.4%
2013 16.57 1179th 1367 13.8%
2014 16.61 1173rd 1363 13.9%
2015 12.96 1200th 1357 11.6%
2016 18.23 1131st 1346 16.0%
2017 15.15 1154th 1352 14.6%
2018 14.49 1175th 1353 13.2%
2019 25.94 1041st 1360 23.5%
2021 16.02 1097th 1317 16.7%
2022 22.28 1047th 1345 22.2%
2023 23.21 1034th 1342 23.0%
See the entire list of New Jersey Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.52 316th 434 27.2%
2021 42.32 183rd 411 55.5%
2022 33.45 304th 489 37.8%
2023 39.19 266th 499 46.7%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.54 761st 1001 24.0%
2019 29.02 684th 1007 32.1%
2021 23.26 671st 868 22.7%
2022 23.39 711th 949 25.1%
2023 33.84 568th 958 40.7%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.19 697th 942 26.0%
2019 41.59 536th 948 43.5%
2021 42.21 463rd 839 44.8%
2022 39.25 509th 863 41.0%
2023 47.25 433rd 910 52.4%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.80 1118th 1333 16.1%
2019 33.00 931st 1331 30.1%
2021 20.70 1024th 1290 20.6%
2022 29.20 920th 1326 30.6%
2023 32.58 880th 1318 33.2%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.65 1157th 1334 13.3%
2019 20.55 1071st 1335 19.8%
2021 14.17 1113th 1297 14.2%
2022 18.02 1063rd 1324 19.7%
2023 17.55 1078th 1315 18.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.47 265th 517 48.7%
2019 60.44 171st 522 67.2%
2021 40.12 267th 456 41.4%
2022 59.16 167th 494 66.2%
2023 60.88 154th 463 66.7%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.62 694th 870 20.2%
2019 39.66 542nd 899 39.7%
2021 40.50 505th 896 43.6%
2022 34.48 605th 953 36.5%
2023 34.69 634th 982 35.4%
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.

Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
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District Scores:
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Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.5)
0%

50%

50%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, April 14, 2014

Open Quote 20 is an excellent school...my daughter has had some awesome teachers!, just as in all schools you have a few bad teachers as is the case here as well as a lack of communication amongst administrators and teachers. If coming to 20 I would suggest keeping an open communication policy with your child's teacher along with talking with administrators and if that doesn't work, do your follow up at the board of education as well as certified letters, this seems the quickest way for a response which is sad. It wasn't always this way. I personally think they need a shake up, it's too family oriented as if your going to have "friends" night out opposed to going to work. This is coming from someone that has worked with the public for a number of years, when you have someone on your team that can and will talk to parents any kind of way that is a red flag and there is a few of them there, then yes it's time for changes to made pronto. Close Quote


by a parent on FaceBook
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Open Quote PS # 20 School has shown itself, in my opinion, to be one of the best schools in Jersey City! There is a lot of teacher/parent cooperation. Although my experience with one teacher was a little frustrating, however this year I find my son's 2nd grade teacher to be phenomenal! The principal and vice principal are very hands on! Also PS #20 has a high test score rating. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 110 261 42 225 0 n/a n/a 0 638
1989 68 259 58 253 0 n/a n/a 0 638
1990 69 279 51 235 0 n/a n/a 0 634
1991 73 314 60 211 0 n/a n/a 0 658
1992 78 281 46 205 0 n/a n/a 0 610
1993 71 229 52 196 0 n/a n/a 0 548
1994 59 274 61 210 0 n/a n/a 0 604
1995 59 281 79 213 0 n/a n/a 0 632
1996 59 281 79 213 0 n/a n/a 0 632
1998 44 290 58 233 0 n/a n/a 0 625
1999 49 294 59 207 0 n/a n/a 0 609
2000 38 270 56 184 0 n/a n/a 0 548
2001 41 247 57 202 14 n/a n/a 0 561
2002 32 271 43 221 8 n/a n/a 0 575
2003 32 271 43 221 8 n/a n/a 0 575
2004 30 275 52 207 8 n/a n/a 0 572
2005 15 258 76 183 0 n/a n/a 0 532
2006 23 277 79 229 0 n/a n/a 0 608
2007 27 292 69 197 5 n/a n/a 0 590
2008 30 318 71 216 5 n/a n/a 0 640
2009 39 297 53 200 5 8 0 0 602
2010 34 302 60 188 5 13 0 0 602
2011 31 313 58 176 5 15 0 0 598
2012 29 341 54 194 3 13 0 0 634
2013 36 343 47 175 3 14 0 0 618
2014 33 336 52 194 1 20 3 0 639
2015 29 342 47 199 0 16 3 0 636
2016 34 346 34 212 1 20 2 0 649
2017 31 365 36 225 1 20 7 0 685
2018 44 388 54 294 1 18 10 0 809
2019 36 298 45 282 2 12 9 0 684
2020 36 317 27 290 5 5 9 0 689
2021 39 278 34 248 6 4 13 0 622
2022 32 308 19 246 9 5 12 0 631
2023 36 313 30 264 12 6 13 0 674

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 Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 638 32.0 19.9 n/a
1989 638 32.0 19.9 n/a
1990 634 32.0 19.8 28.4
1991 658 34.0 19.3 43
1992 610 37.0 16.4 53.8
1993 548 32.0 17.1 64.4
1994 604 33.0 18.3 72
1995 632 34.0 18.6 70.9
1996 632 34.0 18.6 70.9
1998 625 32.0 19.5 69.4
1999 609 31.0 19.6 70.6
2000 548 32.0 17.1 82.8
2001 561 32.2 17.4 77.5
2002 575 46.0 12.5 82.3
2003 575 46.0 12.5 82.3
2004 572 47.0 12.2 83.4
2005 532 59.0 9.0 n/a
2006 608 54.0 11.3 82.4
2007 590 53.0 11.1 81.7
2008 640 50.0 12.8 77.7
2009 602 58.8 8.5 85.7
2010 602 40.0 15.0 84.1
2011 598 40.0 14.9 83.1
2012 634 54.8 11.5 86.9
2013 618 44.0 14.0 81.4
2014 639 44.0 14.5 79.2
2015 636 60.0 10.6 89
2016 649 41.0 15.8 84.1
2017 685 46.0 14.8 86.3
2018 809 42.0 19.2 73.8
2019 684 73.0 9.3 87.1
2020 689 45.0 15.3 61.2
2021 622 41.0 15.1 54.8
2022 631 41.1 15.3 62.6
2023 674 41.5 16.2 58

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 Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 638 32.0 19.9 n/a
1989 638 32.0 19.9 n/a
1990 634 32.0 19.8 28.4
1991 658 34.0 19.3 43
1992 610 37.0 16.4 53.8
1993 548 32.0 17.1 64.4
1994 604 33.0 18.3 72
1995 632 34.0 18.6 70.9
1996 632 34.0 18.6 70.9
1998 625 32.0 19.5 69.4
1999 609 31.0 19.6 70.6
2000 548 32.0 17.1 82.8
2001 561 32.2 17.4 77.5
2002 575 46.0 12.5 82.3
2003 575 46.0 12.5 82.3
2004 572 47.0 12.2 83.4
2005 532 59.0 9.0 n/a
2006 608 54.0 11.3 82.4
2007 590 53.0 11.1 81.7
2008 640 50.0 12.8 77.7
2009 602 58.8 8.5 85.7
2010 602 40.0 15.0 84.1
2011 598 40.0 14.9 83.1
2012 634 54.8 11.5 86.9
2013 618 44.0 14.0 81.4
2014 639 44.0 14.5 79.2
2015 636 60.0 10.6 89
2016 649 41.0 15.8 84.1
2017 685 46.0 14.8 86.3
2018 809 42.0 19.2 73.8
2019 684 73.0 9.3 87.1
2020 689 45.0 15.3 61.2
2021 622 41.0 15.1 54.8
2022 631 41.1 15.3 62.6
2023 674 41.5 16.2 58

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 Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $324 (3.6%) $8,686 (96.4%) $9,010

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary 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 1041st of 1360 Elementary schoolsRanks 1034th of 1342 Elementary schools
 0.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School)53.633.8
 19.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Jersey City Public Schools)47.440.3
 7.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)50.242
 8.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School)38.917.8
 21.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Jersey City Public Schools)46.936
 10.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)55.145.9
 9.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School)50.937.1
 13.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Jersey City Public Schools)5543.1
 11.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)57.451.3
 6.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School)26.325
 1.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Jersey City Public Schools)38.131.3
 6.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)5144.3
 6.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School)38.942
 3.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Jersey City Public Schools)49.444.3
 5.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)57.953.2
 4.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School)24.520.2
 4.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Jersey City Public Schools)33.827.7
 6.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)46.840.1
 6.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students684674
 1.5%
African American298313
 5%
American Indian212
 500%
Asian4530
 33.3%
Hispanic282264
 6.4%
Pacific Islander126
 50%
White3636
Two or More Races913
 44.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients87.1%58%
 29.1%


Schools Near Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School

Students at Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School are 46% African American, 39% Hispanic, 5% White, 4% Asian, 2% Two or more races, 2% American Indian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 674 students attended Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School.

Students who attend Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ezra L. Nolan School
High : Henry Snyder High School

Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School ranks in the bottom 23.0% of New Jersey elementary schools.


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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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