Plainfield Public School District

Plainfield Public School District is a suburban Union County district in New Jersey serving 10,097 students across 14 schools. The district experienced 2.1% enrollment growth from the prior year and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 16.1:1 with 628 teachers.

Academic performance measures indicate substantial gaps relative to state benchmarks. Math proficiency stands at 15.0% compared to the state average of 40.2%, while reading proficiency is 20.8% versus the state average of 51.7%. The graduation rate is 77.1%, compared to the state average of 90.0%. Chronic absenteeism affects 29.1% of students.

The district serves a student population with significant socioeconomic and language support needs. Approximately 75.9% of students qualify as economically disadvantaged, 44.8% are English learners, and 13.6% receive special education services. The racial composition is predominantly Hispanic at 81.4%, followed by Black students at 16.2%, with White and Asian populations each under 2%.

Plainfield's financial structure differs notably from state patterns. Per-pupil spending is $9,499 annually, substantially below the state average of $13,992. The total budget is $246.9 million, with revenue sources distributed as 82.7% state funding, 11.6% local sources, and 5.7% federal funds. This funding composition reflects heavier reliance on state support compared to local revenue generation.