- Enrollment
- 2,073
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Paterson, NJ
School 21
Federal NCES profile for School 21, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341269004914
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
School 21 earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools.
- #12 of 12
- schools in Paterson · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.5:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 52.2%
- free-lunch eligible
School 21 has class sizes larger than 89% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, School 21 ranks #12 of 12 schools in Paterson, NJ.
School address
District: Paterson Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341269004914 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-48 students YoY
School 21 shrank from 690 students in 2022-23 to 642 in 2023-24 (-7.0%).
Teacher FTE lost 46.5 → 42.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-48 students YoY 341269004914 · Paterson, NJ Other · MID · TRAD
665 enr · 14.5:1 · 52.2% lunch · RII 18
Nearest enrollment peer: Eastside High School (2,073 students)
School 21 shrank from 690 students in 2022-23 to 642 in 2023-24 (-7.0%). Teacher FTE lost 46.5 → 42.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · New Jersey schools → · Find another →
School 21 in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Eastside High
Eastside High School
2,073 students
- John F. Kenned
John F. Kennedy High School
1,846 students
- Joseph a. Taub
Joseph a. Taub School
976 students
- School 16 813
School 16
813 students
- School 5 753
School 5
753 students
- This school 665
School 21
665 students
What this shows School 21 reports 665 students on the CCD universe file.
How School 21 compares
School 21 is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.5:1 | ▲ 23% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.2% | ▲ 76% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 665 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
665
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
52.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 76% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% 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
58.9%
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
$25,726
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Jersey avg of $26,225
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 665 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 78.0%
African American 20.9%
White 0.5%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 78.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.8, School 21 is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
District finance for Paterson Public School District reports $25,726 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How School 21 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastside High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John F. Kennedy High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joseph a. Taub School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| School 16 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| School 5 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to School 21's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,846
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 976
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 813
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 753
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar other schools in Paterson
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~665 students)
Frequently asked questions about School 21
How many students attend School 21?
School 21 has 665 students enrolled. It is a public school in Paterson, NJ. CCD year-over-year: 690 (2022-23) → 642 (2023-24), down 48.
What is the student-teacher ratio at School 21?
The student-teacher ratio at School 21 is 14.5:1, which is 23% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at School 21?
52.2% of students at School 21 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of School 21?
The largest demographic group at School 21 is Hispanic or Latino at 78.0% of enrollment, in Paterson, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for School 21?
School 21 has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does School 21 rank among schools in Paterson?
By Resource Investment Index, School 21 ranks #12 of 12 schools in Paterson, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Paterson on the city page.
What other schools are in Paterson Public School District?
Besides School 21, Paterson Public School District also operates Eastside High School (2,073 students), John F. Kennedy High School (1,846 students), and Joseph a. Taub School (976 students). See the Paterson Public School District district page for the complete list.