Enrollment
399
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Rutherford, NJ
Union School
Federal NCES profile for Union School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 71/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 341446000818
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 73
📋 Attendance 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Union School earns 71/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of New Jersey schools.
- #1 of 5
- public schools in Rutherford · Resource Index
- 71
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.2:1
- small classes for New Jersey
- 1.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Union School has class sizes smaller than 70% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Union School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Rutherford, NJ.
School address
District: Rutherford School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341446000818 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.2:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
1.6%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
-95% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Union School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Union School
Union School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Rutherford, New Jersey, enrolling 399 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 1.6% free-meal eligibility runs 95% below the New Jersey average.
With 399 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 584 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #20, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 133 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Rutherford School District spends $18,539 per pupil, 26% below the New Jersey average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Rutherford School District also operates Rutherford High School (727 students) and Pierrepont School (569 students) alongside Union 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 Union School compares
Union 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 | 10.2:1 | ▼ 14% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 1.6% | ▼ 95% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 399 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.2:1
Leaner classes than 88% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
399
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
1.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 95% below the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
10.2:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 30% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
6.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$18,539
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Jersey avg of $24,984
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 133 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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
White 51.4%
Hispanic or Latino 24.8%
Asian 15.3%
Two or More 6.0%
African American 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 51.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.7, Union School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rutherford School District, which includes Union School.
$18,539
Per student
-26%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 83.9%
State 14.1%
Federal 2.0%
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 Union School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherford High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pierrepont School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Union School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 727
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 66/100
- Enrollment
- 569
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 67/100
- Enrollment
- 500
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 349
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
Similar middle 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 (~399 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Union School's federal record.
- Compare Union School against another school. Compare schools
- Rutherford 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 Union School
How many students attend Union School?
Union School has 399 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Rutherford, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Union School?
The student-teacher ratio at Union School is 10.2:1, which is 14% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 35% 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 Union School?
1.6% of students at Union School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Union School?
The largest demographic group at Union School is White at 51.4% of enrollment, in Rutherford, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Union School?
Union School has a Resource Investment Index of 71/100 (higher 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 Union School rank among public schools in Rutherford?
By Resource Investment Index, Union School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Rutherford, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Rutherford on the city page.
Is Union School a good school?
Union School earns 71/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% 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 Rutherford School District?
Besides Union School, Rutherford School District also operates Rutherford High School (727 students), Pierrepont School (569 students), and Lincoln School (500 students). See the Rutherford 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.