Below Average
#2185 of 2,466 schools in NJ
Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy
High School · Area Vocational Technical School District of Mercer County · Pennington, NJ
An Area Vocational Technical School District of Mercer County high school where students score 18 points below what's typical for similar communities.
129 Bull Run Road, Pennington, NJ 08534
- Math 4% vs NJ 44% (2025)
- Reading 50% vs NJ 50% (2025)
- 50%+ 4-year graduation
Academics
Full Profile · 4/4 metricsView breakdown
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Students at Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy score 27% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 45%).
2025 NJSLA proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. NJ average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency has held near 27% across the 9-year record (2017–2025).
Show all 8 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 12% (multi-year average, 2017-2025) · reading/ELA 43% (multi-year average, 2017-2025)
* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.
Based on 16 test records from NJ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).
Equity & diversity
Shown separately, not included in the overall scoreFree/reduced lunch
42.1%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateThe neighborhood
Where Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.
Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.
Getting around & local context
- Walk 15Car-Dependent
- Bike 28Somewhat Bikeable
- City Safety: Average583/100K
Powered by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Pennington), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details
Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.
Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)
Median income
$180,491
Median home value
$573,100
Median rent
$2,106/mo
College educated
71.9%
Homeownership
85.6%
Poverty rate
3.6%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 08534; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Programs & students
Programs & Offerings
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County Technical School Stem AcademyEnrollment path unverified | 6.3 | 9–12 | 0.0 mi | 125 | Compare → |
| The Lawrenceville SchoolPrivate · tuition | 6.5private | 9–12 | 2.1 mi | 818 | Compare → |
| Laurel School of PrincetonPrivate · tuition | 5.7private | 2–11 | 2.2 mi | 30 | Compare → |
| Laurel School of Princeton, thePrivate · tuition | 6.6private | 1–11 | 2.2 mi | 32 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
Area Vocational Technical School District of Mercer County
- Schools in district
- 5
- Rank in district
- #4 of 4
- District spending per student
- $37,756NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- The source release did not match this district identifier.
Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy is listed in Area Vocational Technical School District of Mercer County; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy
Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy is a public high school in Pennington, NJ, part of Area Vocational Technical School District of Mercer County, serving approximately 107 students in grades 9th-12th with a 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 out of 10 and ranks #2,185 of 2,466 schools in NJ. State assessment records show 12% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025) and 43% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy
What grades does Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy serve?
Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy serves students in grades 9th through 12th.
How many students attend Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy?
Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy has an enrollment of approximately 107 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy is 15.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy rank in NJ?
Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy ranks #2,185 of 2,466 schools in NJ.
What is Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy's MySchoolScout rating?
Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.
What are the test scores at Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy has 12% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025) and 43% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2025).
Is Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy a charter school?
No, Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy a Title I school?
No, Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy?
42.1% of students at Mercer County Technical School Culinary Arts Academy qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.
School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)
- Grades
- 9th – 12th
- Enrollment
- 107
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 15.3:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 7
- Type
- vocational
- Setting
- Large Suburb
- County
- Mercer County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 22.4%
- Phone
- (609) 737-9784
- 4-Year Graduation
- 50%+
- Area population (ZIP 08534)
- 13,174
- Area average commute
- 27.6 min
- Area median age
- 43.7
Official sources & links
About this school's data
Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.
- School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
- NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
- Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
- MySchoolScout rating and rank
- MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
- Math proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 NJSLA · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2025 NJSLA. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Reading/ELA proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 NJSLA · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2025 NJSLA. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Student progress (growth)
- State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
- Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
- U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
- Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
- Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 08534; this does not measure the attendance area.
- Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
- CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2017-2025; directory SY 2023–24
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