Rockaway Borough 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.

Rockaway, New Jersey - 2 schools

An equity score of 61/100 ranks Rockaway Borough School District #186 of 586 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $27,224 per pupil, Rockaway Borough School District ranks #199 of 648 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

539
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$27,224
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Rockaway Borough School District operates 2 public schools serving 539 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 combined 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 $27,224 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half 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 61.0% local, 31.7% state, and 7.3% 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 61/100, ranked #186 of 586 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.

a 285.5:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 8.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 47.3% White, 38.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Thomas Jefferson Middle School, enrolling 299 students (52% of the district's total enrollment).

Thomas Jefferson Middle School accounts for 52.4% of all Rockaway Borough School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Rockaway Borough School District a distant remainder — means Rockaway Borough School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Rockaway Borough School District student-counselor ratio is 286:1 — 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 Rockaway Borough School District is typically wider than the Rockaway Borough School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Rockaway Borough School District chronic absenteeism rate is 8.3% — 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

Where does the funding come from?

7.3%
Federal
31.7%
State
61.0%
Local

Funding Equity

61
Equity Score
186 / 586
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 2 schools in Rockaway Borough School District.

White 47.3%
Hispanic or Latino 38.5%
African American 3.9%
Asian 7.5%
Multiracial 2.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

285.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
8.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Rockaway Borough School District

School Enrollment
Thomas Jefferson Middle School
299
Lincoln Elementary School
272

How Rockaway Borough School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Carlstadt Public School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Ocean Township School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mansfield Township Elementary School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Cresthaven Academy Charter School Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Mansfield Township School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Rockaway Borough 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 Rockaway Borough 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 Rockaway Borough School District?

Rockaway Borough School District has 2 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 539 students.

How much does Rockaway Borough School District spend per student?

Rockaway Borough School District spends $27,224 per student. The district has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #186 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Rockaway Borough School District?

Rockaway Borough School District students are 47.3% White, 38.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 3.9% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Rockaway Borough School District?

Rockaway Borough School District has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #186 out of 586 districts in New Jersey.