Buena Regional School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Richland, New Jersey - 5 schools

An equity score of 70/100 ranks Buena Regional School District #87 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $25,507 per pupil, Buena Regional School District ranks #239 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,602
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$25,507
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Buena Regional School District operates 5 public schools serving 1,602 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Atlantic County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $25,507 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending. See how New Jersey compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 35.3% local, 55.4% state, and 9.3% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 70/100, ranked #87 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (11 AP courses district-wide), a 212.1:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 19.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.2% White, 30.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Collings Lakes Elementary School, with a diversity index of 61.8/100.

Its largest campus is Buena Regional High School, enrolling 491 students (31% of the district's total enrollment).

Buena Regional High School accounts for 30.6% of all Buena Regional School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Buena Regional School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Buena Regional School District school enrollment varies 2.6× across entities

Buena Regional School District school enrollment ranges from 192 students (lowest) to 491 students (highest), a spread of 299 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Buena Regional School District student-counselor ratio is 212:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Buena Regional School District chronic absenteeism rate is 19.1% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Buena Regional School District is typically wider than the Buena Regional School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

9.3%
Federal
55.4%
State
35.3%
Local

Funding Equity

70
Equity Score
87 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Buena Regional School District.

White 54.2%
Hispanic or Latino 30.4%
African American 10.5%
Asian 1.7%
Multiracial 2.5%
Other 0.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 60.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Buena Regional School District's schools, above the New Jersey average of 51.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Collings Lakes Elementary School 61.8
  2. 2 Buena Regional Middle School 60.9
  3. 3 Dr. J.P. Cleary Elementary School 59.5
  4. 4 Buena Regional High School 59.1
  5. 5 John C. Milanesi Elementary School 58.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
11 AP courses total
212.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
19.1%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Buena Regional School District

School Enrollment
Buena Regional High School
491
Buena Regional Middle School
345
Dr. J.P. Cleary Elementary School
320
Collings Lakes Elementary School
221
John C. Milanesi Elementary School
192

How Buena Regional School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The New Jersey districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Keansburg School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Highland Park Boro School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Pinelands Regional School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
River Dell Regional School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Buena Regional School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in New Jersey

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Newark Public School District
41,672 students · 63 schools · $25,301/pupil
Compare vs Buena Regional School District →
Elizabeth Public Schools
28,266 students · 37 schools · $24,380/pupil
Compare vs Buena Regional School District →
Jersey City Public Schools
26,647 students · 39 schools · $26,862/pupil
Compare vs Buena Regional School District →

Compare Buena Regional School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Newark Public School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Buena Regional School District?

Buena Regional School District has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 1,602 students.

How much does Buena Regional School District spend per student?

Buena Regional School District spends $25,507 per student. The district has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #87 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Buena Regional School District?

Buena Regional School District students are 54.2% White, 30.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% African American, 1.7% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Buena Regional School District?

Buena Regional School District has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #87 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.