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Trenton

Mercer County · 34 schools · 14,380 students
Grades PK–12 · was K–12 in 1999
Updated June 2026

Enrollment, by grade

In 2025-26 it enrolled 14,380 students across grades PK–12. That is 2,410 more than in 1998-99 (11,970) — the district has grown. It peaked at 15,474 in 2024-25. Its biggest cohort is pre-K.

students 03,8757,75011,62515,500121110987654321KPK1998200320082013201820232025

Students enrolled in each grade each fall, stacked to the total — so the top edge is total enrollment. Bands run from the lowest grade (light) to the highest (dark); a band that appears or disappears is a grade the school added or dropped. “Other” is students with no grade level (mostly special education), so the bands always sum to total. Source: NJDOE Fall Enrollment.

What the district looks like

In 1998-99, 71% of students were Black. By 2025-26 the largest group was Hispanic, at 67%.

% of students 050100race categories: 5 → 767%30%1998200320082013201820232025
WhiteBlackHispanicAsianTwo or moreNative Am.

Each group’s share of enrollment over time, or its head count — toggle above. New Jersey expanded race and ethnicity reporting from five to seven categories in 2006-07 (dashed line), so “two or more races” appears only after; Asian here includes Pacific Islander. Source: NJDOE Fall Enrollment.

How much the mix changed

Between 2021-22 and 2025-26 the makeup of this district shifted noticeably.

That’s a smaller shift than 55% of Mercer County districts. The biggest moves, in percentage points:
Black −6.9·Hispanic +5.7·Two or more +1.2

The index is half the sum of every group’s change in share, on a 0–100 scale (how it works). Compare any two years in the explorer →

Free or reduced-price lunch

In 2025-26, 59.4% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch.

% eligible 050100notreportednotreported59.4%40.5%1998200320082013201820232025
This districtMercer County

Share of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The lighter line shows Mercer County, for comparison. Not reported by the state in some years (shaded). Since 2014, some districts provide free meals to all students regardless of household income, which can lift the eligible share. Source: NJDOE Fall Enrollment.

Budget

In 2025-26, Trenton proposed a $445.3 million General Fund operating budget.

Operating revenue

  • Local sources$26.6 million
  • State sources$403.7 million
  • Federal sources$76,898
  • Fund balance / other$15.0 million

Operating spending

  • Instruction and day-to-day operations$196.4 million
  • School-level allocations$176.6 million
  • Charter and Renaissance transfers$68.1 million
  • Buildings, equipment, and other capital costs$4.1 million
  • Special schools$150,000

These are proposed NJDOE User-Friendly Budget planning rows—not audited actuals, household tax bills, or all-funds totals.

Open the full budget report →

Test scores

Growth measures how much students progressed over the year against peers who scored the same the year before — 50 is a typical year. In 2024-25, this district’s median growth percentile was 34 in English and 33 in math — NJ calls this “low” growth.

median student growth percentile · 50 = typical50ELA34Math33
1 · did not meet2 · partially met3 · approached4 · met5 · exceeded

English language arts: results for 2024-25 (state 53%), about the same as in 2021-22.

By grade, year to year

Each panel is one grade — watch its mix of levels shift across 2021–2024.

Grade 3
withheld20212024
Grade 4
11%11%20212024
Grade 5
withheld20212024
Grade 6
withheld20212024
Grade 7
11%10%20212024
Grade 8
12%11%20212024
Grade 9
12%10%20212024

By grade cohort, lined up across years

Each panel lines up aggregate grade results one grade higher each year. It approximates a class cohort, but does not track individual students; enrollment can change.

Grade 7 in 2021 → Grade 9 in 2023
11%17%Grade 7Grade 9

Math: results for 2024-25 (state 42%).

By grade, year to year

Each panel is one grade — watch its mix of levels shift across 2021–2024.

Grade 3
10%12%20212024
Grade 4
withheld20212024
Grade 5
withheld20212024
Grade 6
withheld20212024
Grade 7
withheld20212024
Grade 8
withheld20212024
Algebra I
withheld20212024
Geometry
withheld20212024
Algebra II
19%41%20212024

In each panel the flat line is the proficiency boundary: levels 4–5 (met or exceeded) fill the area above it, levels 1–3 below — so a smaller reported share in levels 4–5 makes the area above the line shrink (it isn’t a misleading upward slope). Light = level 1 (did not yet meet expectations), dark = level 5 (exceeded); the % marks the proficient share at the first and last points. The first set of panels follows each grade across the years; the second lines up aggregate grade results one grade higher each year. It approximates a class cohort, not linked individual students. Growth is the median Student Growth Percentile (50 = a typical year), reported only through grade 8. The NJSLA was not given in spring 2020 and was disrupted the next year. Source: NJ School Performance Reports.

Graduation rate

In 2024-25, 60% of students graduated within four years — down from 62.4% in 2020-21.

% graduating 507510091.8%60%20202021202220232024
This districtNew Jersey

Four-year graduation rate — the share of a class that finishes within four years of entering ninth grade (New Jersey’s state calculation). The lighter line shows New Jersey, for comparison. New Jersey also reports a federal four-year rate (51.7% for 2024-25); the two use slightly different cohort rules. Source: NJ School Performance Reports, 2024-25.

Chronic absenteeism

In 2024-25, 43% of students were chronically absent — missing at least 10% of school days — up from 37.5% in 2021-22.

% chronically absent 0255043%14.4%2021202220232024
This districtNew Jersey

Chronic absenteeism — the share of students who missed 10% or more of the days they were enrolled (roughly 18 days across a full school year). The lighter line shows New Jersey, for comparison. Source: NJ School Performance Reports, 2024-25.

Schools in this district

The district’s 34 schools on record. Open any for its full profile.

Trenton Central High School - Main Campus High school · Grades 10–12 · 2,068 studentsTrenton Central High School-9th Grade Academy High school · Grades 9 · 827 studentsDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–5 · 757 students · closed after 2021-22Trenton Central High School - West Campus High school · Grades 9–12 · 755 students · closed after 2017-18Joyce Kilmer School K–8 school · Grades K–8 · 754 students · closed after 2021-22Grace A Dunn Middle School Middle school · Grades 7–8 · 706 studentsHedgepeth Williams Intermediate School Elementary school · Grades 4–6 · 679 studentsDr. Martin Luther King Middle School Middle school · Grades 7–8 · 620 studentsClara Parker Intermediate School Elementary school · Grades 4–6 · 586 studentsGrant Intermediate School Elementary school · Grades 4–6 · 578 studentsArthur J. Holland Middle School Middle school · Grades 7–8 · 535 studentsCapital City High School High school · Grades 9–12 · 529 studentsJoyce Kilmer Intermediate School Elementary school · Grades 4–6 · 506 studentsLuis Munoz-Rivera Ms Middle school · Grades 6–8 · 500 students · closed after 2021-22Patton J. Hill Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 480 studentsBattle Monument Intermediate School Elementary school · Grades 4–6 · 476 studentsPaul Robeson Elem Elementary school · Grades K–5 · 445 students · closed after 2004-05Jefferson Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–5 · 434 students · closed after 2018-19Luis Munoz-Rivera Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 372 studentsCarroll Robbins Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 358 studentsPaul S. Robeson Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 340 studentsArthur Holland Middle Sch Middle school · 322 students · closed after 2004-05Thomas Jefferson Intermediate School Elementary school · Grades 4–6 · 309 studentsJoseph Stokes Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 309 studentsGershom Mott Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 306 studentsDarlene C. Mcknight Elementary Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 305 studentsBenjamin C Gregory Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 304 studentsDr. Crosby Copeland Jr Elementary Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 303 studentsFranklin Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 296 studentsMartin L King Middle Sch Middle school · Grades 6–8 · 283 students · closed after 2005-06George Washington Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 281 studentsStokes Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 252 students · closed after 2012-13William Harrison Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 206 studentsCadwalader Elementary School Elementary school · Grades K–3 · 202 students

Profile built from New Jersey Department of Education Fall Enrollment data, 1998-99 through 2025-26. How this data works →