Enrollment
557
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Plainfield, NJ
Washington Community School
Federal NCES profile for Washington Community School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341314005628
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Washington Community School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of New Jersey schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey schools.
- #3 of 6
- schools in Plainfield · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 73.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Washington Community School has class sizes larger than 75% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Community School ranks #3 of 6 schools in Plainfield, NJ.
School address
District: Plainfield Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341314005628 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.7%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+149% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Washington Community School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Washington Community School
Washington Community School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Plainfield, New Jersey, enrolling 557 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 73.7% of students qualify for free meals, 149% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 557 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 203 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #108.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 18/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Plainfield's public schools, it stands alongside College Achieve Central Charter School (1,572 students): Washington Community School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13:1 vs 15.4:1).
Plainfield Public School District also operates Plainfield High School (2,077 students) and Hubbard Middle School (737 students) alongside Washington Community 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 Washington Community School compares
Washington Community 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 | 13:1 | ▲ 10% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.7% | ▲ 149% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 557 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
557
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 149% 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
13:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
27.5%
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
$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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.1 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 90.5%
African American 7.9%
White 0.7%
Two or More 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.5, Washington Community School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Plainfield Public School District, which includes Washington Community School.
$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 Washington Community School 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 | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Maxson Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cedarbrook Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Washington Community School'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
- 423
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
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 (~557 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Washington Community School's federal record.
- Compare Washington Community School 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 Washington Community School
How many students attend Washington Community School?
Washington Community School has 557 students enrolled. It is a public school in Plainfield, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Washington Community School?
The student-teacher ratio at Washington Community School is 13:1, which is 10% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 17% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Washington Community School?
73.7% of students at Washington Community School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Washington Community School?
The largest demographic group at Washington Community School is Hispanic or Latino at 90.5% of enrollment, in Plainfield, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Washington Community School?
Washington Community School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Washington Community School rank among schools in Plainfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Community School ranks #3 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 Washington Community School a good school?
Washington Community School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of New Jersey schools. 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 Plainfield Public School District?
Besides Washington Community School, 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.