Public schools in Plainfield, NJ
21 open public schools with an address in Plainfield, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
21
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
11,755
20 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12:1
New Jersey median 11.2:1
Charter schools
5
0 virtual
An overview of Plainfield public schools
The federal directory lists 21 public schools in Plainfield, NJ: 11 elementary, 2 middle, 4 high, 4 combined or other. The 20 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 11,755 students, an average of 588 per school. The largest campus is Plainfield High School (2,077 students), and the largest elementary school is Charles and Anna Booker Elementary School (816).
Plainfield Public School District operates the most schools here (16), plus 5 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12:1, higher than the statewide school median of 11.2:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 5 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 80% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Plainfield
Plainfield Public School District
Public school district
16 schools in Plainfield
Barack Obama Green Charter School District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Plainfield
College Achieve Central Charter School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Plainfield
Cresthaven Academy Charter School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Plainfield
The Queen City Academy Charter School District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Plainfield
Union County TEAMS Charter School-High School/College LA
Independent charter agency
1 school in Plainfield
Elementary schools in Plainfield
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedarbrook Elementary School Plainfield Public School District | KG–08 | 671 | 11.2:1 | |
| Charles and Anna Booker Elementary School Plainfield Public School District | PK–05 | 816 | 24:1 | |
| Charles H. Stillman Elementary School Plainfield Public School District | KG–05 | 317 | 11.4:1 | |
| Clinton Elementary School Plainfield Public School District | PK–05 | 386 | 10.6:1 | |
| Cresthaven Academy Charter School Cresthaven Academy Charter School · Charter | KG–08 | 621 | 21.4:1 | |
| Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School Plainfield Public School District | KG–05 | 423 | 12.7:1 | |
| Emerson Community School Plainfield Public School District | KG–05 | 414 | 11.5:1 | |
| Evergreen Elementary School Plainfield Public School District | KG–05 | 398 | 8.6:1 | |
| Frederic W. Cook Elementary School Plainfield Public School District | KG–06 | 198 | 5.5:1 | |
| Jefferson Elementary School Plainfield Public School District | PK–05 | 383 | 10.2:1 | |
| Washington Community School Plainfield Public School District | PK–05 | 557 | 12.4:1 |
Middle schools in Plainfield
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubbard Middle School Plainfield Public School District | 06–08 | 737 | 11.2:1 | |
| Maxson Middle School Plainfield Public School District | 06–08 | 721 | 9.2:1 |
High schools in Plainfield
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barack Obama Green Charter School Barack Obama Green Charter School District · Charter | 06–12 | 358 | 14.3:1 | |
| Pinnacle Academy High School Plainfield Public School District | 09–12 | 67 | 22.3:1 | |
| Plainfield Academy For The Arts & Advanced Studies Plainfield Public School District | 06–12 | 357 | 8.9:1 | |
| Plainfield High School Plainfield Public School District | 09–12 | 2,077 | 13.3:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Plainfield
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Achieve Central Charter School College Achieve Central Charter School · Charter | KG–12 | 1,572 | 16.4:1 | |
| Plainfield Early Learning Center Plainfield Public School District | PK–PK | — | — | |
| The Queen City Academy Charter School The Queen City Academy Charter School District · Charter | KG–12 | 378 | 14.5:1 | |
| Union County TEAMS Charter School Union County TEAMS Charter School-High School/College LA · Charter | KG–12 | 304 | 38:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White0.7%
- Hispanic79.9%
- Black18.1%
- Asian0.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial0.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 20 Plainfield schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (11,755 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Plainfield
How many public schools are in Plainfield, NJ?
The current NCES directory lists 21 open public schools with a location address in Plainfield: 11 elementary, 2 middle, 4 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 11,755 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Plainfield?
Schools with an address in Plainfield belong to 6 education agencies, led by Plainfield Public School District (16 schools), Barack Obama Green Charter School District (1 school), College Achieve Central Charter School (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Plainfield?
Plainfield High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Plainfield, with 2,077 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Plainfield?
Yes. 5 of the 21 public schools in Plainfield are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Barack Obama Green Charter School, College Achieve Central Charter School, Cresthaven Academy Charter School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Plainfield schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Plainfield public schools is 12:1, higher than the New Jersey school median of 11.2:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Plainfield guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby New Jersey cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All New Jersey cities