Chester Township 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.

Chester, New Jersey - 3 schools

An equity score of 56/100 ranks Chester Township School District #247 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $26,248 per pupil, Chester Township School District ranks #191 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,008
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$26,248
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Chester Township School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,008 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 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 Morris County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $26,248 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 72.7% local, 21.7% state, and 5.6% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 56/100, ranked #247 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 276.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 1.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 70.3% White, 17.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Dickerson Elementary School, with a diversity index of 49.1/100.

Its largest campus is Dickerson Elementary School, enrolling 356 students (35% of the district's total enrollment).

Dickerson Elementary School accounts for 35.3% of all Chester Township School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Chester Township School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Chester Township School District student-counselor ratio is 276:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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 Variation between sub-units within Chester Township School District is typically wider than the Chester Township School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Chester Township School District chronic absenteeism rate is 1.3% — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

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

Where does the funding come from?

5.6%
Federal
21.7%
State
72.7%
Local

Funding Equity

56
Equity Score
247 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Chester Township School District.

White 70.3%
Hispanic or Latino 17.6%
African American 1.4%
Asian 7.4%
Multiracial 3.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 46.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Chester Township School District's schools, below the New Jersey average of 51.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Dickerson Elementary School 49.1
  2. 2 Bragg Elementary School 46.6
  3. 3 Black River Middle School 44.6

Programs & Resources

276.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
1.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Chester Township School District

School Enrollment
Dickerson Elementary School
356
Black River Middle School
352
Bragg Elementary School
297

How Chester Township School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Colts Neck Township School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Empowerment Academy Charter School Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
River Vale Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Palmyra Public School District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Ringwood School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Chester Township 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.

Compare Chester Township 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 Chester Township School District?

Chester Township School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,008 students.

How much does Chester Township School District spend per student?

Chester Township School District spends $26,248 per student. The district has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #247 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Chester Township School District?

Chester Township School District students are 70.3% White, 17.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian, 1.4% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Chester Township School District?

Chester Township School District has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #247 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.