Enrollment
499
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Passaic, NJ
Sonia Sotomayor School #21
Federal NCES profile for Sonia Sotomayor School #21, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 341254003487
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sonia Sotomayor School #21 earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey schools.
- #7 of 10
- elementary schools in Passaic · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.6:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sonia Sotomayor School #21 has class sizes near the New Jersey median. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sonia Sotomayor School #21 ranks #7 of 10 elementary schools in Passaic, NJ.
School address
District: Passaic City School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341254003487 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.6:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+238% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sonia Sotomayor School #21 compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sonia Sotomayor School #21
Sonia Sotomayor School #21 is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Passaic, New Jersey, enrolling 499 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 100.0% of students qualify for free meals, 238% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 499 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 25 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #19, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (96% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 7/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 499 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Passaic's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25 (903 students): Sonia Sotomayor School #21 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.6:1 vs 21.5:1).
Passaic City School District also operates Passaic High School No. 12 (2,484 students) and Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25 (903 students) alongside Sonia Sotomayor School #21.
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 Sonia Sotomayor School #21 compares
Sonia Sotomayor School #21 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 | 10.6:1 | ▼ 10% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 238% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 499 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.6:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
499
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 238% 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
10.6:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 38% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
40.3%
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
$27,936
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 499 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 96.2%
African American 3.4%
Two or More 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 96.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 7.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 7.3, Sonia Sotomayor School #21 is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Passaic City School District, which includes Sonia Sotomayor School #21.
$27,936
Per student
+12%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+68%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 4.4%
State 82.9%
Federal 12.7%
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 Sonia Sotomayor School #21 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passaic High School No. 12 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William B. Cruise Memorial School No. 11 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mario Drago School No. 3 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 6 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sonia Sotomayor School #21's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,484
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 903
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 805
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 776
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 754
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar elementary schools in Passaic
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25
Standard public school
903 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
William B. Cruise Memorial School No. 11
Standard public school
805 students 13:1 students per teacher
Passaic Gifted and Talented Academy School No. 20
Standard public school
742 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Ellen Ochoa School Number 22
Standard public school
613 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Daniel F. Ryan Elementary School No. 19
Standard public school
590 students 10.2:1 students per teacher
Thomas Jefferson School No. 1
Standard public school
423 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
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 (~499 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sonia Sotomayor School #21's federal record.
- Compare Sonia Sotomayor School #21 against another school. Compare schools
- Passaic City 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 Sonia Sotomayor School #21
How many students attend Sonia Sotomayor School #21?
Sonia Sotomayor School #21 has 499 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Passaic, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sonia Sotomayor School #21?
The student-teacher ratio at Sonia Sotomayor School #21 is 10.6:1, which is 10% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 32% 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 Sonia Sotomayor School #21?
100.0% of students at Sonia Sotomayor School #21 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sonia Sotomayor School #21?
The largest demographic group at Sonia Sotomayor School #21 is Hispanic or Latino at 96.2% of enrollment, in Passaic, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sonia Sotomayor School #21?
Sonia Sotomayor School #21 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 Sonia Sotomayor School #21 rank among elementary schools in Passaic?
By Resource Investment Index, Sonia Sotomayor School #21 ranks #7 of 10 elementary schools in Passaic, 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 Passaic on the city page.
Is Sonia Sotomayor School #21 a good school?
Sonia Sotomayor School #21 earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median. 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 Passaic City School District?
Besides Sonia Sotomayor School #21, Passaic City School District also operates Passaic High School No. 12 (2,484 students), Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25 (903 students), and William B. Cruise Memorial School No. 11 (805 students). See the Passaic City 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.