Public schools in Scotch Plains, NJ
17 open public schools with an address in Scotch Plains, operated by 4 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
17
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
7,470
16 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.8:1
New Jersey median 11.2:1
Charter schools
0
5 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Scotch Plains public schools
The federal directory lists 17 public schools in Scotch Plains, NJ: 5 elementary, 2 middle, 9 high, 1 combined or other. The 16 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 7,470 students, an average of 467 per school. The largest campus is Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School (1,562 students), and the largest elementary school is William J. McGinn Elementary School (543).
Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District operates the most schools here (8), and 2 regular districts have at least one Scotch Plains campus, plus 2 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 12.8:1, 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 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 8 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 6 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 8 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 6% 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 Scotch Plains
Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District
Public school district
8 schools in Scotch Plains
Union County Vocational-Technical School District
Specialized public school district
7 schools in Scotch Plains · 9 total
Office of Education Department of Children and Families
State operated agency
1 school in Scotch Plains · 19 total
Union County Educational Services Commission
Public school district
1 school in Scotch Plains · 6 total
Elementary schools in Scotch Plains
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evergreen Elementary School Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District | PK–04 | 449 | 12.1:1 | |
| Howard B. Brunner Elementary School Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District | PK–04 | 434 | 13:1 | |
| J. Ackerman Coles Elementary School Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District | PK–04 | 526 | 12:1 | |
| School One Elementary Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District | PK–04 | 424 | 12.4:1 | |
| William J. McGinn Elementary School Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District | KG–04 | 543 | 12.8:1 |
Middle schools in Scotch Plains
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malcolm E Nettingham Middle School Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District | 05–08 | 913 | 10.9:1 | |
| Terrill Middle School Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District | 05–08 | 822 | 11:1 |
High schools in Scotch Plains
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy For Allied Health Sciences Union County Vocational-Technical School District · Magnet · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 308 | 20.2:1 | |
| Academy for Global Logistics Union County Vocational-Technical School District · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | — | — | |
| Academy For Information Technology Union County Vocational-Technical School District · Magnet · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 307 | 21.3:1 | |
| Academy For Performing Arts Union County Vocational-Technical School District · Magnet · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 242 | 16:1 | |
| Hillcrest Academy-North Union County Educational Services Commission · Alternative School | 09–12 | 74 | 7.8:1 | |
| Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District | 09–12 | 1,562 | 13.4:1 | |
| Union County Career & Technical Institute Union County Vocational-Technical School District · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 67 | 2.8:1 | |
| Union County Magnet High School Union County Vocational-Technical School District · Magnet · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 297 | 20:1 | |
| Union County Tech Union County Vocational-Technical School District · Magnet · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 502 | 20.4:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Scotch Plains
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Regional School Office of Education Department of Children and Families · Alternative School | 01–12 | 0 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White53.7%
- Hispanic18.5%
- Black8.5%
- Asian13.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial5%
Enrollment-weighted across 15 Scotch Plains schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (7,470 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Scotch Plains
How many public schools are in Scotch Plains, NJ?
The current NCES directory lists 17 open public schools with a location address in Scotch Plains: 5 elementary, 2 middle, 9 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 7,470 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Scotch Plains?
Schools with an address in Scotch Plains belong to 4 education agencies, led by Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District (8 schools), Union County Vocational-Technical School District (7 schools), Office of Education Department of Children and Families (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 Scotch Plains?
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Scotch Plains, with 1,562 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Scotch Plains?
No school with an address in Scotch Plains is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in New Jersey.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Scotch Plains schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Scotch Plains public schools is 12.8:1, 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 Scotch Plains 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