Academy I

Located at 209 BERGEN AVENUE, in JERSEY CITY, New Jersey, Academy I is a cozy middle school that hosts 415 students (grades 6 through 8), operated by Jersey City Public Schools. That puts it 28% smaller than the typical public school in New Jersey, which averages around 578 students.

Jersey City Public Schools comprises 39 schools with combined enrollment of 24,151 students; Academy I is among them.

Demographically, Academy I reports that the most-represented group is Asian (43%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Other groups include 23% White, 17% Hispanic, 13% Black, 3% multiracial. That is considerably more Asian than the county at large, where the share is closer to 17%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 31 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.6:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 10.9:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 54% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is noticeably below Hudson County's rate of about 68%.

With demographic context factored in, Academy I sits in the top 10% of New Jersey schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 36.8%; actual is 72.4%, +35.7 points clear of the demographic baseline.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Hudson County) reports that the typical household earns roughly $91,795 per year, roughly 49% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Hudson County runs 130 public schools (combined enrollment of about 86,216 students), of which Academy I is one.

Nearest neighbor: Henry Snyder High School, around 0.1 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Academy I ranks 1st on composite proficiency, higher than the local average of 21.4%.

The campus sits in a high-density setting.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 15%: 487 students in 2018 compared to 415 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share grew from 13% to 23%. Class-load math has fell: from 15.2:1 in 2018 to 13.6:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Academy I community share and discuss school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.