Enrollment
357
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Plainfield, NJ
Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies
Federal NCES profile for Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341314003041
👥 S:T ratio 62
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of New Jersey schools.
- #1 of 6
- schools in Plainfield · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 9.4:1
- small classes for New Jersey
- 63.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies has class sizes smaller than 82% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies ranks #1 of 6 schools in Plainfield, NJ.
School address
District: Plainfield Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341314003041 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.4:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.5%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+115% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies
Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Plainfield, New Jersey, enrolling 357 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 9.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 63.5% of students qualify for free meals, 115% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 357 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Among 203 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #21, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (67%) and African American (31%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 179 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Plainfield's public schools, it stands alongside College Achieve Central Charter School (1,572 students): Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.4:1 vs 15.4:1).
Plainfield Public School District also operates Plainfield High School (2,077 students) and Hubbard Middle School (737 students) alongside Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies.
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 Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies compares
Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies 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 | 9.4:1 | ▼ 20% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.5% | ▲ 115% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 357 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.4:1
Leaner classes than 91% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
357
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 115% 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
9.4:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 18% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
9.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 179 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.6 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 66.9%
African American 31.4%
Two or More 1.1%
White 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.4, Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Plainfield Public School District, which includes Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies.
$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 Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hubbard Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maxson Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cedarbrook Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington Community School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies'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 other schools in Plainfield
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~357 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies's federal record.
- Compare Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies 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 Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies
How many students attend Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies?
Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies has 357 students enrolled. It is a public school in Plainfield, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies?
The student-teacher ratio at Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies is 9.4:1, which is 20% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 40% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies?
63.5% of students at Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies?
The largest demographic group at Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies is Hispanic or Latino at 66.9% of enrollment, in Plainfield, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies?
Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies rank among schools in Plainfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies ranks #1 of 6 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 schools in Plainfield on the city page.
Is Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies a good school?
Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of 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 Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies, 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.