Dunellen Public 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Dunellen, New Jersey - 3 schools

An equity score of 33/100 ranks Dunellen Public School District #462 of 586 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $20,228 per pupil, Dunellen Public School District ranks #601 of 648 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,305
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$20,228
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Dunellen Public School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,305 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Middlesex County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,228 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 65 of 648 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending. See how New Jersey compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 42.5% local, 51.2% state, and 6.3% 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 33/100, ranked #462 of 586 in New Jersey against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (9 AP courses district-wide), a 363.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 9.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 59.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% White, 12.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lincoln Middle School, with a diversity index of 59.7/100.

Its largest campus is John P. Faber Elementary School, enrolling 621 students (46% of the district's total enrollment).

John P. Faber Elementary School accounts for 45.6% of all Dunellen Public School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Dunellen Public School District a distant remainder — means Dunellen Public School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Dunellen Public School District student-counselor ratio is 363:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Dunellen Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 9.7% — 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

Where does the funding come from?

6.3%
Federal
51.2%
State
42.5%
Local

Funding Equity

33
Equity Score
462 / 586
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Dunellen Public School District.

White 20.8%
Hispanic or Latino 59.3%
African American 12.2%
Asian 4.3%
Multiracial 3.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 58.7/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lincoln Middle School 59.7
  2. 2 John P. Faber Elementary School 58.5
  3. 3 Dunellen High School 57.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
9 AP courses total
363.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
9.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Dunellen Public School District

School Enrollment
John P. Faber Elementary School
621
Dunellen High School
409
Lincoln Middle School
333

How Dunellen Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
College Achieve Paterson Charter School Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Mountain Lakes Public School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Weehawken Public School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Branchburg Township School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Central Jersey College Prep Charter School Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Dunellen Public 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.

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Dunellen Public 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 Dunellen Public School District?

Dunellen Public School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,305 students.

How much does Dunellen Public School District spend per student?

Dunellen Public School District spends $20,228 per student. The district has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #462 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Dunellen Public School District?

Dunellen Public School District students are 59.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% White, 12.2% African American, 4.3% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Dunellen Public School District?

Dunellen Public School District has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #462 out of 586 districts in New Jersey.