Township of Union 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.

Union, New Jersey - 10 schools

An equity score of 32/100 ranks Township of Union School District #472 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $21,117 per pupil, Township of Union School District ranks #532 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

7,775
Total Enrollment
10
Schools
$21,117
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Township of Union School District operates 10 public schools serving 7,775 students, placing it among the smaller districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 combined, 3 elementary, 1 high 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 Union County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,117 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower 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 52.7% local, 38.9% state, and 8.4% 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 32/100, ranked #472 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 10 schools offering Advanced Placement (23 AP courses district-wide), a 438.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 16.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 39.7% African American, 31.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Livingston Elementary, with a diversity index of 73.4/100.

Its largest campus is Union High School, enrolling 2,410 students (31% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Battle Hill Elementary, at 414 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Union High School accounts for 30.7% of all Township of Union School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Township of Union 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

Township of Union School District school enrollment varies 5.8× across entities

Township of Union School District school enrollment ranges from 414 students (lowest) to 2,410 students (highest), a spread of 1,996 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

Township of Union School District student-counselor ratio is 438:1 — 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.

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

Township of Union School District chronic absenteeism rate is 16.1% — 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 Township of Union School District is typically wider than the Township of Union 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?

8.4%
Federal
38.9%
State
52.7%
Local

Funding Equity

32
Equity Score
472 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 10 schools in Township of Union School District.

White 16.6%
Hispanic or Latino 31.6%
African American 39.7%
Asian 7.7%
Multiracial 3.8%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 69.0/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Livingston Elementary 73.4
  2. 2 Washington Elementary 72.8
  3. 3 Connecticut Farms Elementary 72.5
  4. 4 Battle Hill Elementary 71.9
  5. 5 Kawameeh Middle School 71.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 10
Schools with AP
23 AP courses total
438.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Township of Union School District

School Enrollment
Union High School
2,410
Burnet Middle School
970
Hannah Caldwell Elementary
812
Kawameeh Middle School
729
Washington Elementary
578
Jefferson Elementary
564
Livingston Elementary
485
Franklin Elementary
453
Connecticut Farms Elementary
430
Battle Hill Elementary
414

How Township of Union School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Wayne Township Public School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Irvington Public School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Jackson Township School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
South Brunswick School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Egg Harbor Township School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Township of Union 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 Township of Union 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 Township of Union School District?

Township of Union School District has 10 schools, including 1 high, 3 elementary, 6 combined. Total enrollment is 7,775 students.

How much does Township of Union School District spend per student?

Township of Union School District spends $21,117 per student. The district has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #472 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Township of Union School District?

Township of Union School District students are 39.7% African American, 31.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% White, 7.7% Asian, averaged across 10 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Township of Union School District?

Township of Union School District has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #472 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.