South Plainfield School District

South Plainfield, New Jersey — 7 schools

3,551
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$25,146
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

South Plainfield School District operates 7 public schools serving 3,551 students, placing it among the smaller districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 other, 1 high, 1 elementary, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 3,530 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Middlesex County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $25,146 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 65.0% local, 29.7% state, and 5.3% 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 $118,998 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 43/100, ranked #366 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 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (20 AP courses district-wide), a 292.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 11.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 34.6% Hispanic or Latino, 33.3% White, 17.3% Asian across the district's schools.

South Plainfield High School accounts for 29.6% of all South Plainfield School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means South Plainfield 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

South Plainfield School District school enrollment varies 4.1× across entities

South Plainfield School District school enrollment ranges from 256 students (lowest) to 1,044 students (highest), a spread of 788 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

South Plainfield School District student-counselor ratio is 293:1 — 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 South Plainfield School District is typically wider than the South Plainfield School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

South Plainfield School District chronic absenteeism rate is 11.6% — 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?

5.3%
Federal
29.7%
State
65.0%
Local

Funding Equity

43
Equity Score
366 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

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

$1,804
Studio/mo
$1,978
1 BR/mo
$2,486
2 BR/mo
$2,981
3 BR/mo
$3,296
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$118,998
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 7 schools in South Plainfield School District.

White 33.3%
Hispanic or Latino 34.6%
African American 10.0%
Asian 17.3%
Multiracial 3.6%
Other 1.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
20 AP courses total
292.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
11.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in South Plainfield School District

School Enrollment
South Plainfield High School
1,044
Grant Elementary School
568
South Plainfield Middle School
553
Roosevelt Elementary School
472
John E Riley Elementary School
367
Franklin Elementary School
270
John F Kennedy Elementary School
256

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in South Plainfield School District?

South Plainfield School District has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 elementary, 1 middle, 4 other. Total enrollment is 3,551 students.

How much does South Plainfield School District spend per student?

South Plainfield School District spends $25,146 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #366 in New Jersey.

What is the average teacher salary in South Plainfield School District?

The average teacher salary in South Plainfield School District is $118,998 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near South Plainfield School District?

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

What is the demographic composition of South Plainfield School District?

South Plainfield School District students are 34.6% Hispanic or Latino, 33.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 10.0% African American, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for South Plainfield School District?

South Plainfield School District has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #366 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%
Industry baseline

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