Enrollment
463
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Paterson, NJ
School 28
Federal NCES profile for School 28, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341269004924
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
School 28 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of New Jersey schools.
- #2 of 12
- schools in Paterson · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 68.4%
- free-lunch eligible
School 28 has class sizes larger than 85% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, School 28 ranks #2 of 12 schools in Paterson, NJ.
School address
District: Paterson Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341269004924 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.4%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+131% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How School 28 compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at School 28
School 28 is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Paterson, New Jersey, enrolling 463 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 68.4% of students qualify for free meals, 131% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 463 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Against 243 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #158.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and Asian (16%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 463 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Paterson's public schools, it stands alongside College Achieve Paterson Charter School (1,688 students): School 28 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 24.8:1).
Paterson Public School District also operates Eastside High School (2,073 students) and John F. Kennedy High School (1,846 students) alongside School 28.
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 School 28 compares
School 28 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 | 14:1 | ▲ 19% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.4% | ▲ 131% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 463 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
463
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 131% 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
14:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 85% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.4%
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
$23,944
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 463 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 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 57.2%
Asian 16.4%
African American 15.3%
White 9.5%
Two or More 1.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.3, School 28 is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Paterson Public School District, which includes School 28.
$23,944
Per student
-4%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 8.8%
State 79.8%
Federal 11.3%
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 School 28 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John F. Kennedy High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joseph a. Taub School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| School 16 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| School 5 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to School 28's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,073
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- 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.
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 (~463 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on School 28's federal record.
- Compare School 28 against another school. Compare schools
- Paterson 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 School 28
How many students attend School 28?
School 28 has 463 students enrolled. It is a public school in Paterson, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at School 28?
The student-teacher ratio at School 28 is 14:1, which is 19% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at School 28?
68.4% of students at School 28 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of School 28?
The largest demographic group at School 28 is Hispanic or Latino at 57.2% of enrollment, in Paterson, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for School 28?
School 28 has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 School 28 rank among schools in Paterson?
By Resource Investment Index, School 28 ranks #2 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.
Is School 28 a good school?
School 28 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Paterson Public School District?
Besides School 28, 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.
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.