Garfield 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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Garfield, New Jersey - 12 schools

An equity score of 74/100 ranks Garfield Public School District #62 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $26,779 per pupil, Garfield Public School District ranks #165 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,787
Total Enrollment
12
Schools
$26,779
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Garfield Public School District operates 12 public schools serving 4,787 students, placing it among the smaller districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 10 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Bergen County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $26,779 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 23.2% local, 68.9% state, and 8.0% 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 74/100, ranked #62 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 12 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 277.5:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 18.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.9% Hispanic or Latino, 35.5% White, 7.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Roosevelt School #7, with a diversity index of 60.1/100.

Its largest campus is Garfield High School, enrolling 1,258 students (25% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Garfield Public Preschool 3 at Headstart, at 102 students, a 12x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Garfield High School accounts for 24.9% of all Garfield Public School District student enrollment

That concentration means Garfield Public 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

Garfield Public School District school enrollment varies 12× across entities

Garfield Public School District school enrollment ranges from 102 students (lowest) to 1,258 students (highest), a spread of 1,156 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Garfield Public School District student-counselor ratio is 278:1 — 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 Garfield Public School District is typically wider than the Garfield Public School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Garfield Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 18.7% — 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 Garfield Public School District is typically wider than the Garfield Public 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?

8.0%
Federal
68.9%
State
23.2%
Local

Funding Equity

74
Equity Score
62 / 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 12 schools in Garfield Public School District.

White 35.5%
Hispanic or Latino 54.9%
African American 7.1%
Asian 1.4%
Multiracial 1.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 55.4/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Roosevelt School #7 60.1
  2. 2 Washington Irving School #4 59.2
  3. 3 Thomas Jefferson School #9 57.7
  4. 4 Garfield Early Childhood Learning Center 57.0
  5. 5 Garfield Middle School 56.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 12
Schools with AP
7 AP courses total
277.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
18.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Garfield Public School District

School Enrollment
Garfield High School
1,258
Garfield Middle School
971
Washington Irving School #4
441
Abraham Lincoln School #6
385
Thomas Jefferson School #9
368
Christopher Columbus School #8
366
Woodrow Wilson School #5
294
Roosevelt School #7
282
James Madison School #10
280
Garfield Early Childhood Learning Center
204
Garfield Public Preschool Annex
105
Garfield Public Preschool 3 at Headstart
102

How Garfield Public School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Millburn Township School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Mount Olive Township School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Pennsauken Township Board of Education School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Bernards Township School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Garfield 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.

Compare Garfield 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 Garfield Public School District?

Garfield Public School District has 12 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 10 combined. Total enrollment is 4,787 students.

How much does Garfield Public School District spend per student?

Garfield Public School District spends $26,779 per student. The district has an equity score of 74/100, ranking #62 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Garfield Public School District?

Garfield Public School District students are 54.9% Hispanic or Latino, 35.5% White, 7.1% African American, 1.4% Asian, averaged across 12 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Garfield Public School District?

Garfield Public School District has an equity score of 74/100, ranking #62 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.