University High School

University High School, a cozy secondary school in NEWARK, New Jersey, overseen by Newark Public School District, works with 426 students, covering grades 8 through 12. Enrollment runs roughly 54% below the state mean of about 929.

Across the 65 schools in Newark Public School District (41,502 students total), University High School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, University High School shows that the largest single group is Black, at 77% of enrollment. The remainder is composed of 21% Hispanic. The wider county runs roughly 36% Black, putting the school's mix noticeably more Black than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, On paper, University High School has 36 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 11.8:1. The state averages around 12.7:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 82% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Essex County runs at roughly 54%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, University High School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 21.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 30.5%.

In the surrounding community, the surrounding county (Essex County) shows that median household earnings sit near $80,789, 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. University High School is one of 249 public schools in Essex County (combined enrollment of about 145,473 students).

Nearest neighbor: Hawthorne Avenue School, around 0.2 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), University High School ranks 1st on composite proficiency, above the local average of 16.0%.

The campus sits in a city-core setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at University High School has shrank 24%, going from 558 students in 2018 to 426 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 82% to 77% across the same window. Class-load math has narrowed: from 13.9:1 in 2018 to 11.8:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, members of the University High School community share and discuss sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.