Best Public Schools in Plainfield, NJ

The city of Plainfield, New Jersey is home to 19 schools, including 10 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 3 alternative schools, all part of the Plainfield Public School District except for the charter schools. The data reveals a mixed picture, with some high-performing charter and magnet schools, but also many district schools struggling with low academic achievement.

The College Achieve Central Charter School stands out as the top performer, with the highest test scores across multiple grade levels and subjects compared to the district and state averages. Frederic W. Cook Elementary School also has strong academic performance, with 60.8% of 5th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts and 39.1% in Math, well above the district averages. Meanwhile, Plainfield Academy For The Arts & Advanced Studies ranks 140th out of 422 New Jersey high schools, the highest ranking among the Plainfield schools.

However, the data also reveals significant disparities, with a wide achievement gap between the higher-performing and lower-performing schools. The schools with the highest percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch tend to have the lowest academic performance, highlighting the challenges faced by schools serving economically disadvantaged populations. Overall, the Plainfield Public School District as a whole is ranked 569th out of 613 districts in New Jersey, suggesting systemic issues that need to be addressed.