Enrollment
423
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Plainfield, NJ
Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 341314005610
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey schools.
- #6 of 6
- elementary schools in Plainfield · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 77.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School has class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School ranks #6 of 6 elementary schools in Plainfield, NJ.
School address
District: Plainfield Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341314005610 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.2%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+161% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School
Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Plainfield, New Jersey, enrolling 423 students.
Class loads run heavy: 14.6:1 is larger than about 89% of New Jersey schools and 24% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 77.2% of students qualify for free meals, 161% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 423 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 155 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #117, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 21/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 423 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Plainfield's elementary schools, it stands alongside Cresthaven Academy Charter School (621 students): Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.6:1 vs 17.3:1).
Plainfield Public School District also operates Plainfield High School (2,077 students) and Hubbard Middle School (737 students) alongside Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School compares
Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▲ 24% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.2% | ▲ 161% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 423 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
423
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 161% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 89% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$20,332
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 423 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 88.7%
African American 8.7%
White 1.9%
Asian 0.5%
Two or More 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.5, Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Plainfield Public School District, which includes Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School.
$20,332
Per student
-19%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.5%
State 81.5%
Federal 9.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hubbard Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Maxson Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cedarbrook Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington Community School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,077
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 737
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 721
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 557
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Plainfield
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~423 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Plainfield Public School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School
How many students attend Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School?
Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School has 423 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Plainfield, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School is 14.6:1, which is 24% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School?
77.2% of students at Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 88.7% of enrollment, in Plainfield, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School?
Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Plainfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School ranks #6 of 6 elementary schools in Plainfield, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Plainfield on the city page.
Is Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School a good school?
Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Plainfield Public School District?
Besides Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School, Plainfield Public School District also operates Plainfield High School (2,077 students), Hubbard Middle School (737 students), and Maxson Middle School (721 students). See the Plainfield Public School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.