Public schools in Wayne, NJ
17 open public schools with an address in Wayne, operated by 2 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
12,154
17 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
11.8:1
New Jersey median 11.2:1
Charter schools
0
2 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Wayne public schools
The federal directory lists 17 public schools in Wayne, NJ: 10 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high. The 17 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 12,154 students, an average of 715 per school. The largest campus is Passaic County Technical Institute (3,565 students), and the largest elementary school is Theunis Dey Elementary School (459).
Wayne Township Public School District operates the most schools here (15), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. 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 11.8:1, 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 2 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 29% 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 Wayne
Elementary schools in Wayne
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Payson Terhune Elementary Wayne Township Public School District | KG–05 | 347 | 12.3:1 | |
| James Fallon Elementary School Wayne Township Public School District | KG–05 | 370 | 13:1 | |
| John F. Kennedy Elementary School Wayne Township Public School District | KG–05 | 387 | 11.9:1 | |
| Lafayette Elementary School Wayne Township Public School District | KG–05 | 321 | 14.1:1 | |
| Packanack Elementary School Wayne Township Public School District | KG–05 | 408 | 13.5:1 | |
| Pines Lake Elementary School Wayne Township Public School District | KG–05 | 356 | 11.8:1 | |
| Preakness Early Childhood Center Wayne Township Public School District | PK–KG | 177 | 9.3:1 | |
| Randall Carter Elementary School Wayne Township Public School District | KG–05 | 351 | 12.7:1 | |
| Ryerson Elementary School Wayne Township Public School District | KG–05 | 250 | 9.2:1 | |
| Theunis Dey Elementary School Wayne Township Public School District | KG–05 | 459 | 13.7:1 |
Middle schools in Wayne
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Wayne Middle School Wayne Township Public School District | 06–08 | 617 | 9:1 | |
| George Washington Middle School Wayne Township Public School District | 06–08 | 493 | 8.6:1 | |
| Schuyler Colfax Middle School Wayne Township Public School District | 06–08 | 650 | 9.6:1 |
High schools in Wayne
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passaic County Technical Institute Passaic County Technical-Vocational School District · Magnet · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 3,565 | 11.1:1 | |
| Passaic County Technical Institute STEM Academy Passaic County Technical-Vocational School District · Magnet · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 1,040 | 12.5:1 | |
| Wayne Hills High School Wayne Township Public School District | 09–12 | 1,162 | 9.6:1 | |
| Wayne Valley High School Wayne Township Public School District | 09–12 | 1,201 | 9.8:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White49.3%
- Hispanic32.6%
- Black4.5%
- Asian10.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial2.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 17 Wayne schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (12,154 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Wayne
How many public schools are in Wayne, NJ?
The current NCES directory lists 17 open public schools with a location address in Wayne: 10 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high. Together they reported 12,154 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Wayne?
Schools with an address in Wayne belong to 2 education agencies, led by Wayne Township Public School District (15 schools), Passaic County Technical-Vocational School District (2 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Wayne?
Passaic County Technical Institute reported the largest high-school enrollment in Wayne, with 3,565 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Wayne?
No school with an address in Wayne 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 Wayne schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Wayne public schools is 11.8:1, 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 Wayne 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