Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 13 schools in district

Plainfield Academy For The Arts & Advanced Studies

1700 West Front St, PLAINFIELD, NJ 07063Plainfield Public School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 07–12Non-Charter
356
Students
Total enrolled
93%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 7% vs nat'l
$36,038
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 151% vs nat'l
9.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 39% vs nat'l
48/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 356 students in grades 07–12 in PLAINFIELD, New Jersey.
151% above average funding
District spends $36,038 per pupil, 151% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 48th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Plainfield Academy For The Arts & Advanced Studies is a mid-sized high in PLAINFIELD, New Jersey, serving grades 07–12 with 356 students. The district invests $36,038 per student — 151% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 76% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The school's 93% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Plainfield Academy For The Arts & Advanced Studies

356
Total Students
9.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
76%
Free Lunch
38
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (07–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution141 male · 215 female
40%
60%
Male 40%Female 60%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility76%
National avg 52% · 270 students
Student Composition
69%
29%
White1%
Hispanic / Latino69%
Black29%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 341314003041

Academic Outcomes at Plainfield Academy For The Arts & Advanced Studies

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE90
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
93%
State avg
92%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
48
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 48th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 70th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 07063

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$36,038Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$36,038
State avg
$47,079
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$15,857
Student Support$6,847
Administration$4,325
Operations$5,406
Other$3,604
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $36,038 spent per student, an estimated $15,965 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
81%
State government
81.5%
Local (property tax)
9.5%
Federal programs
9.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 93% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Above-average funding — $36,038/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 76% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Washington Community SchoolCedarbrook Elementary SchoolEvergreen Elementary SchoolEmerson Community School
+5 more
↓
Middle
Maxson Middle SchoolHubbard Middle School
↓
High School
Plainfield High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades07 – 12
Location—
CountyUnion County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictPlainfield Public School District →
Phone: (908)731-4421
NCES ID: 341314003041
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in PLAINFIELD seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Plainfield Public School District
High
Plainfield High School
1,925 students · 09–12
● 36 opp79% FRL
Mid
Maxson Middle School
818 students · 06–08
● 35 opp84% FRL
Mid
Hubbard Middle School
775 students · 06–08
● 36 opp91% FRL
Elem
Washington Community School
649 students · PK–05
● 36 opp81% FRL
Elem
Cedarbrook Elementary School
623 students · KG–08
● 36 opp69% FRL
Elem
Evergreen Elementary School
602 students · KG–05
● 36 opp87% FRL
Elem
Emerson Community School
509 students · KG–05
● 35 opp79% FRL
Elem
Jefferson Elementary School
441 students · PK–05
● 48 opp86% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1700 West Front St, PLAINFIELD, NJ 07063
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.