Paterson Public School District operates 42 public schools serving 24,795 students, placing it in the mid-size range in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 18 elementary, 13 other, 9 high, 2 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 20,846 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Passaic County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $31,953 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 8.8% local, 79.8% state, and 11.3% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $110,693 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 71/100, ranked #94 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 6 of 42 schools offering Advanced Placement (71 AP courses district-wide), a 428.9:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 48.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 70.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% African American, 5.6% Asian across the district's schools.
Paterson Public School District school enrollment varies 41× across entities
Paterson Public School District school enrollment ranges from 50 students (lowest) to 2,073 students (highest), a spread of 2,023 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Paterson Public School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 61.4% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Paterson Public School District student-counselor ratio is 429:1 — 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.
Paterson Public School District chronic absenteeism rate is 48.3% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
How many schools are in Paterson Public School District?
Paterson Public School District has 42 schools, including 9 high, 2 middle, 13 other, 18 elementary. Total enrollment is 24,795 students.
How much does Paterson Public School District spend per student?
Paterson Public School District spends $31,953 per student. The district has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #94 in New Jersey.
What is the average teacher salary in Paterson Public School District?
The average teacher salary in Paterson Public School District is $110,693 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Paterson Public School District?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Passaic County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Paterson Public School District?
Paterson Public School District students are 70.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% African American, 5.6% Asian, 3.8% White, averaged across 42 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Paterson Public School District?
Paterson Public School District has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #94 out of 587 districts in New Jersey. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.