Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District

Scotch Plains, New Jersey — 8 schools

5,646
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$22,894
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District operates 8 public schools serving 5,646 students, placing it among the smaller districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 other, 3 elementary, 1 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 5,673 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Union County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $22,894 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 74.7% local, 23.2% state, and 2.1% 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 $105,630 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 15/100, ranked #570 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 8 schools offering Advanced Placement (20 AP courses district-wide), a 347:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 7.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 59.9% White, 15.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian across the district's schools.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School accounts for 27.5% of all Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Scotch Plains-Fanwood 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

Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District school enrollment varies 3.7× across entities

Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District school enrollment ranges from 424 students (lowest) to 1,562 students (highest), a spread of 1,138 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District student-counselor ratio is 347:1 — 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 Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District is typically wider than the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District chronic absenteeism rate is 7.7% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Where does the funding come from?

2.1%
Federal
23.2%
State
74.7%
Local

Funding Equity

15
Equity Score
570 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Union County county, where this district is located.

$1,612
Studio/mo
$1,822
1 BR/mo
$2,205
2 BR/mo
$2,761
3 BR/mo
$3,137
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$105,630
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 8 schools in Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District.

White 59.9%
Hispanic or Latino 15.0%
African American 6.8%
Asian 12.3%
Multiracial 5.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 8
Schools with AP
20 AP courses total
347:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
7.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District

School Enrollment
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School
1,562
Malcolm E Nettingham Middle School
913
Terrill Middle School
822
William J. Mcginn Elementary School
543
J. Ackerman Coles Elementary School
526
Evergreen Elementary School
449
Howard B. Brunner Elementary School
434
School One Elementary
424

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?

Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District has 8 schools, including 1 high, 3 elementary, 4 other. Total enrollment is 5,646 students.

How much does Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District spend per student?

Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District spends $22,894 per student. The district has an equity score of 15/100, ranking #570 in New Jersey.

What is the average teacher salary in Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?

The average teacher salary in Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District is $105,630 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Union County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?

Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District students are 59.9% White, 15.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 6.8% African American, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?

Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District has an equity score of 15/100, ranking #570 out of 587 districts in New Jersey. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
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Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.