Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! New Jersey test scores for the 2025-26 school year were just released — SchoolDigger posted updated rankings TODAY.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Public Grades 9-12

327^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 434 New Jersey High Schools

Better than 25% of New Jersey high schools

Summary

Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is a public high school serving grades 9–12 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with 1,144 students. Its results show strengths in some English, science, and grade 11 measures, but the clearest concern is mathematics: Geometry proficiency was 11% in both grade 9 and end-of-course testing, compared with 50% and 52% statewide.

The school compares favorably with nearby schools in several areas: grade 9 ELA was 47%, above the nearby average of 40%, and grade 11 science was 15%, the second-highest result among the 10 nearby schools. Grade 11 NJGPA results were also above nearby-school averages: 68% in ELA versus 57%, and 50% in math versus 44%. However, both grade 11 scores remain below state rates, and math is the weakest area overall: Algebra II end-of-course proficiency was 15%, compared with 52% statewide. Grade 11 NJGPA ELA was 6 points above the rate for Elizabeth Public Schools, while math was 2 points higher.

Results have shifted over time: grade 9 ELA fell 23 points from 69% in 2022–2023 to 47% in 2025–2026, while grade 11 science rose 10 points, from 5% to 15%. SchoolDigger places the school in the 25th percentile statewide with 1 star for 2025–2026; it ranks third among the 10 nearby schools, though its percentile has slipped from 28 to 25 over three years. In 2024–2025, its student-teacher ratio was 14.4, below the nearby average of about 15.2, and 81% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible. SchoolDigger’s group-specific rankings show stronger statewide standing for English Language Learner Students (70th percentile) and African American Students (56th percentile), as measures of how well the school serves those groups.

1,144

Students ?

14.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,387

Per pupil spending ?

80.5%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

27 Martin Luther King Jr Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07201

(908) 436-6767

District: Elizabeth Public Schools

Feeder schools for Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy:

Elementary:	Abraham Lincoln School No. 14
	Benjamin Franklin School No. 13
	Christopher Columbus School No. 15
	Dr. Antonia Pantoja School No. 27
	More...
	Elmora School No. 12
	George Washington Academy School No. 1
	John Marshal School No. 20
	Joseph Battin School No 4
	Juan Pablo Duarte - Jose Julian Marti School No 28
	Mabel G. Holmes School No. 5
	Madison Monroe School No. 16
	Nicholas Murray Butler Academy School No. 23
	Nicholas S. Lacorte-Peterstown School No. 3
	Robert Morris School No. 18
	Sonia Sotomayor School No 25
	Toussaint L'Ouverture-Marquis de Lafayette School No. 6
	Victor Mravlag School No. 21
	Winfield Scott School No. 2
	Woodrow Wilson School No. 19

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

75.6%

African American:

16.6%

White:

7.0%

See top rated New Jersey high schools

Compare Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 30th percentile in 2023 → 25th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the New Jersey average (34% vs 48% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (25th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped from its 30th-percentile peak (2023) to 25th (2026)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school34%

District avg31%

New Jersey avg48%

327^th of 434

New Jersey public high schools ?

Bottom 25%▲ up 5 pts since 2016

From bottom 20% (2016) to bottom 25% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of New Jersey High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 8High Schools in the Elizabeth Public Schools

538^th of 607Elizabeth Public Schools among New Jersey districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Jersey percentile	Rating
2026	26.3	327 of 434	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.9	317 of 434	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.2	308 of 429	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.7	294 of 422	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	24.1	306 of 415	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.2	310 of 405	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.9	327 of 416	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.8	312 of 415	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	16.3	367 of 411	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	24.4	329 of 409	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	25.4	320 of 406	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	28.7	339 of 411	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	7.3	366 of 396	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	21.0	338 of 388	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	8.3	344 of 378	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Jersey percentile	Rating
2026	51.9	121 of 272	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	57.0	94 of 283	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.6	153 of 282	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.1	92 of 250	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	41.5	120 of 256	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	35.7	151 of 247	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	54.0	92 of 254	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	42.7	135 of 266	49.2%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Jersey percentile	Rating
2026	55.2	63 of 207	69.6%	★★★★☆
2025	40.7	111 of 215	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.4	71 of 191	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.9	42 of 161	73.9%	★★★★☆
2022	41.4	59 of 137	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	35.0	59 of 101	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.9	61 of 138	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	45.1	58 of 146	60.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Jersey percentile	Rating
2026	28.8	319 of 428	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	39.4	265 of 426	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.6	293 of 420	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	23.6	303 of 416	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.4	304 of 414	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	20.6	328 of 402	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	23.6	305 of 408	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.6	318 of 403	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Jersey percentile	Rating
2026	40.9	227 of 399	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.4	233 of 406	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.0	217 of 403	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.0	170 of 385	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	43.2	180 of 382	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	32.3	257 of 374	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	36.0	220 of 364	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.1	206 of 368	44.0%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Jersey percentile	Rating
2026	45.9	178 of 371	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.4	171 of 377	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.2	141 of 358	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.3	110 of 344	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.6	111 of 324	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	36.8	212 of 326	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.9	146 of 347	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	44.1	168 of 345	51.3%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Jersey percentile	Rating
2026	32.5	292 of 426	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.2	323 of 426	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.2	314 of 419	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.8	248 of 414	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.2	260 of 410	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	25.9	296 of 402	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.2	288 of 407	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.5	324 of 405	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Jersey percentile	Rating
2026	37.8	197 of 358	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	52.1	126 of 359	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.1	159 of 361	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.4	102 of 339	69.9%	★★★★☆
2022	48.1	126 of 344	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	25.9	254 of 333	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	41.9	168 of 349	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	41.7	174 of 355	51.0%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Jersey percentile	Rating
2026	34.8	241 of 341	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	47.0	185 of 347	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.0	183 of 345	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.8	116 of 335	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	29.4	227 of 336	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.2	203 of 339	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	26.2	255 of 340	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2026)70th percentile+45 vs school

African American (2026)56th percentile+31 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)52nd percentile+27 vs school

Special Education (2026)45th percentile+20 vs school

Hispanic (2026)43rd percentile+18 vs school

Male (2026)31st percentile+7 vs school

White (2026)29th percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)25th percentile~ school

By subject vs New Jersey (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts68%-8 vs state

Mathematics50%-11 vs state

Algebra II16%-35 vs state

Science15%-14 vs state

Geometry11%-40 vs state

Algebra I6%-27 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a teacher
Tuesday, July 24, 2018

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

Schools Near Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NJGPA English Language Arts (2026)	NJGPA Mathematics (2026)	NJSLA-S Science (2026)	NJSLA English Language Arts (2026)	NJSLA Algebra I (2026)			NJSLA Geometry (2026)			NJSLA Algebra II (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NJGPA English Language Arts 11th Grade	NJGPA Mathematics 11th Grade	NJSLA-S Science 11th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 9th Grade	NJSLA Algebra I 9th Grade	NJSLA Algebra I 10th Grade	NJSLA Algebra I End of Course	NJSLA Geometry 9th Grade	NJSLA Geometry 10th Grade	NJSLA Geometry End of Course	NJSLA Algebra II 9th Grade	NJSLA Algebra II 10th Grade	NJSLA Algebra II End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy	Public	9-12	27 Martin Luther King Jr Plaza	Elizabeth	07201	Union County	Elizabeth Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(908) 436-6767	1,144	79	14.4	80.5%	80 (7.0%)	190 (16.6%)	865 (75.6%)	6 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	26.3	327^th of 434 public high schools	24.7%		28.9	317^th of 434 public high schools	27.0%	10	67.6	50.4	14.8	46.5		6.7	5.6	10.7		10.7	16.6		15.4	$22,387	$1,048	$21,339
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy	Public	9-12	40 Morrell Street	Elizabeth	07202	Union County	Elizabeth Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(908) 436-5870	1,268	70	18.1	76.8%	134 (10.6%)	106 (8.4%)	971 (76.6%)	53 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	61.6	145^th of 434 public high schools	66.6%		60.7	144^th of 434 public high schools	66.8%	1		89.3	39.1	86.7				37.2		37.2	25.0		25.0	$20,349	$1,149	$19,200
Admiral William F. Halsey Junior Health & Public Safety Academy	Public	9-12	641 South Street	Elizabeth	07202	Union County	Elizabeth Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(908) 436-6600	1,272	87	14.6	81.4%	71 (5.6%)	202 (15.9%)	981 (77.1%)	13 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8.4	417^th of 434 public high schools	3.9%		9.3	420^th of 434 public high schools	3.2%	3	37.5	32.5	5.8	22.7		22.2	21.7	6.7		6.6				$22,018	$1,098	$20,920
John E. Dwyer Technology Academy	Public	9-12	123 Pearl St	Elizabeth	07202	Union County	Elizabeth Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(908) 436-6565	1,348	94	14.4	82.0%	50 (3.7%)	235 (17.4%)	1,053 (78.1%)	8 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6.7	424^th of 434 public high schools	2.3%		9.5	417^th of 434 public high schools	3.9%	7	39.4	23.0	3.8	10.0		10.4	9.7	2.7		3.2			0.0	$21,817	$1,087	$20,730
K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson STEM Academy	Public	9-12	237 South Broad Street	Elizabeth	07202	Union County	Elizabeth Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	No	(908) 436-5023	740	43	17.2	77.8%	36 (4.9%)	124 (16.8%)	573 (77.4%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22.7	351^st of 434 public high schools	19.1%		30.3	311^th of 434 public high schools	28.3%	40	63.2	46.5	5.7	50.8		11.8	11.1	12.8		12.8	5.4		5.2	$19,958	$890	$19,068
Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy	Public	9-12	310 Cherry St	Elizabeth	07208	Union County	Elizabeth Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(908) 436-6100	1,015	63	16.1	81.3%	68 (6.7%)	91 (9.0%)	826 (81.4%)	28 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	33	293^rd of 434 public high schools	32.5%		45.5	231^st of 434 public high schools	46.8%	62	72.9	58.5	13.3	53.6				14.8		14.8	0.0		0.0	$21,164	$1,090	$20,074
Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy	Public	9-12	625 Summer St	Elizabeth	07202	Union County	Elizabeth Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(908) 436-6800	842	59	14.2	86.9%	29 (3.4%)	155 (18.4%)	654 (77.7%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10.2	404^th of 434 public high schools	6.9%		12.8	401^st of 434 public high schools	7.6%	3	40.1	25.3	4.6	38.2				11.9		11.9	6.7		6.3	$23,458	$1,104	$22,354
J. Christian Bollwage Finance Academy	Public	9-12	447 Richmond Street	Elizabeth	07202	Union County	Elizabeth Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(908) 436-6500	415	30	13.8	81.0%	21 (5.1%)	69 (16.6%)	320 (77.1%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24.8	336^th of 434 public high schools	22.6%		28	321^st of 434 public high schools	26.0%	15	70.9	51.1	8.9	43.5				5.2		5.2			14.3	$23,558	$1,026	$22,532
Simon Youth Academy	Public	9-12	651 Kapkowski Road	Elizabeth	07201	Union County	Union County Vocational-Technical School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(908) 889-2900	4	1	12.0	—	0 (0.0%)	2 (50.0%)	2 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8.5	416^th of 434 public high schools	4.1%		26.7	328^th of 434 public high schools	24.4%	88	36.4		6.7											$78,672		$78,672
Hillside High School	Public	9-12	1085 Liberty Ave	Hillside	07205	Union County	Hillside Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(908) 352-7664	911	67	13.5	66.5%	67 (7.4%)	499 (54.8%)	329 (36.1%)	6 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	7 (0.8%)	15.6	380^th of 434 public high schools	12.4%		22.2	347^th of 434 public high schools	20.0%	33	61.1	35.5	9.3	28.0	4.1		4.1	0.0		0.0				$18,844	$353	$18,491

Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

What is the racial makeup of Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy?

Students at Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy are 76% Hispanic, 17% African American, 7% White.

What schools feed into Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy?

Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Abraham Lincoln School No. 14
Elementary : Benjamin Franklin School No. 13
Elementary : Christopher Columbus School No. 15
Elementary : Dr. Antonia Pantoja School No. 27
Elementary : Elmora School No. 12
Elementary : George Washington Academy School No. 1
Elementary : John Marshal School No. 20
Elementary : Joseph Battin School No 4
Elementary : Juan Pablo Duarte - Jose Julian Marti School No 28
Elementary : Mabel G. Holmes School No. 5
Elementary : Madison Monroe School No. 16
Elementary : Nicholas Murray Butler Academy School No. 23
Elementary : Nicholas S. Lacorte-Peterstown School No. 3
Elementary : Robert Morris School No. 18
Elementary : Sonia Sotomayor School No 25
Elementary : Toussaint L'Ouverture-Marquis de Lafayette School No. 6
Elementary : Victor Mravlag School No. 21
Elementary : Winfield Scott School No. 2
Elementary : Woodrow Wilson School No. 19

Rate Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NJNew Jersey High School Rankings

NJNew Jersey District Rankings

Schools in Elizabeth, NJ

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy!