Is Union School a good school?

Union School ranks 188 th of 748 New Jersey middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Union School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 369 students attended Union School.

What is the racial makeup of Union School?

Students at Union School are 53% White, 24% Hispanic, 14% Asian, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Union School

Summary:

Union School is a public middle school serving grades 7-8 in Rutherford, New Jersey, part of the Rutherford School District, which is ranked 164 out of 615 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating. With a student population of 369, Union School consistently outperforms state averages in academic proficiency and maintains a strong statewide ranking.

Union School's academic performance is particularly noteworthy, with 69.1% of 7th graders and 80.2% of 8th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts (ELA), significantly higher than the state averages of 55.7% and 55.3%, respectively. In Mathematics, 48.6% of 7th graders and 52.9% of 8th graders were proficient or better, also outperforming the state. The school's statewide ranking places it in the top 25% of New Jersey middle schools, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. Union School's performance is especially strong for Hispanic and Asian students, ranking 52 out of 587 and 95 out of 201 middle schools, respectively, in ELA proficiency.

Compared to nearby middle schools, such as Pierrepont School in the same district, Union School stands out with its consistently high academic outcomes. However, the school's low percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (just 2.17%) may suggest a relatively affluent student population, raising potential equity concerns. Nonetheless, Union School's exceptional performance, low chronic absenteeism rates, and strong statewide rankings make it a standout institution in the region.

Detail:

Public 7-8

359 Union Ave
Rutherford, NJ 07070-1519

(201) 438-7675

District: Rutherford School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
188^th of 748 New Jersey Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,872

Student/teacher ratio: 9.3

Number of students: 369

Racial breakdown:

White:

53.1%

Hispanic:

24.4%

Asian:

13.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 2.2%

See top rated New Jersey middle schools

Compare Union School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Union School ranks better than 74.9% of middle schools in New Jersey. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.92. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Union School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (53.1%), Hispanic (24.4%), Asian (13.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 2.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Union School is 9.3. (See more...)

Compare Union School employs 39.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Union School is $8,872.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Union School:

SchoolDigger ranks Union School 188^th of 748 New Jersey public middle schools. (See Union School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Rutherford School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Rutherford School District 164^th of 615 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Union School

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Rank History for all students at Union School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2003	80.01	118^th	574	79.4%
2004	62.79	295^th	588	49.8%
2005	71.22	216^th	599	63.9%
2006	64.81	299^th	615	51.4%
2007	69.64	234^th	631	62.9%
2008	69.32	231^st	640	63.9%
2009	64.20	303^rd	664	54.4%
2010	73.79	194^th	677	71.3%
2011	76.85	159^th	684	76.8%
2012	74.75	201^st	677	70.3%
2013	80.34	124^th	704	82.4%
2014	76.91	173^rd	717	75.9%
2015	88.29	36^th	713	95.0%
2016	63.13	239^th	713	66.5%
2017	60.12	281^st	712	60.5%
2018	55.33	309^th	716	56.8%
2019	69.97	205^th	745	72.5%
2022	66.53	211^th	745	71.7%
2023	70.92	188^th	748	74.9%

See the entire list of New Jersey Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Union School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	29.18	343^rd	471	27.2%
2019	48.34	212^th	492	56.9%
2022	65.49	111^th	535	79.3%
2023	61.49	128^th	505	74.7%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Female students at Union School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	58.14	301^st	680	55.7%
2019	74.66	175^th	703	75.1%
2022	80.84	115^th	726	84.2%
2023	70.42	195^th	720	72.9%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Union School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	64.18	235^th	675	65.2%
2019	79.10	140^th	697	79.9%
2022	77.74	135^th	730	81.5%
2023	81.28	116^th	718	83.8%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Union School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	49.75	117^th	200	41.5%
2019	75.97	40^th	199	79.9%
2022	64.91	76^th	200	62.0%
2023	56.61	95^th	201	52.7%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Union School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	44.81	270^th	504	46.4%
2019	80.98	53^rd	524	89.9%
2022	81.51	62^nd	591	89.5%
2023	83.91	52^nd	587	91.1%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Union School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2018	48.64	264^th	497	46.9%
2019	66.92	147^th	504	70.8%
2022	67.24	145^th	512	71.7%
2023	68.09	140^th	509	72.5%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Jersey Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Union School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	388	7	39	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	454
1989	368	7	41	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	435
1990	363	4	39	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	425
1991	381	6	45	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	452
1992	368	7	58	24	0	n/a	n/a	0	457
1993	369	4	56	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	465
1994	359	6	58	24	0	n/a	n/a	0	447
1995	386	14	73	34	0	n/a	n/a	0	507
1996	386	14	73	34	0	n/a	n/a	0	507
1998	373	18	90	47	0	n/a	n/a	0	528
1999	395	15	111	47	0	n/a	n/a	0	568
2000	407	21	105	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	569
2001	421	21	110	39	0	n/a	n/a	0	591
2002	422	20	126	65	0	n/a	n/a	0	633
2003	422	20	126	65	0	n/a	n/a	0	633
2004	418	27	131	63	0	n/a	n/a	0	639
2005	419	24	160	72	0	n/a	n/a	0	675
2006	292	19	113	54	0	n/a	n/a	0	478
2007	292	14	104	61	0	n/a	n/a	0	471
2008	289	18	109	68	0	n/a	n/a	0	484
2009	282	20	119	67	0	0	1	0	489
2010	263	16	131	68	0	0	3	0	481
2011	277	12	111	88	0	0	5	0	493
2012	278	13	114	82	1	0	9	0	497
2013	272	17	106	87	0	0	10	0	492
2014	275	18	108	86	0	0	13	0	500
2015	272	16	99	80	0	0	17	0	484
2016	259	14	92	94	0	0	18	0	477
2017	241	11	62	69	0	0	13	0	396
2018	241	12	60	69	0	0	16	0	398
2019	243	8	70	83	0	0	20	0	424
2020	234	6	59	106	0	1	26	0	432
2021	213	9	58	99	2	1	24	0	406
2022	198	9	57	79	4	2	20	0	369
2023	196	12	50	90	3	1	16	1	369

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Union School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	454	34.0	13.3	n/a
1989	435	34.0	12.7	n/a
1990	425	33.0	12.8	1.9
1991	452	33.0	13.6	0
1992	457	32.0	14.2	0.7
1993	465	31.1	15.0	0
1994	447	32.1	13.9	0.2
1995	507	33.1	15.3	1.6
1996	507	33.1	15.3	1.6
1998	528	35.1	15.0	1.5
1999	568	37.1	15.3	0.9
2000	569	36.1	15.8	1.6
2001	591	39.0	15.2	2.2
2002	633	38.6	16.4	3.5
2003	633	38.6	16.4	3.5
2004	639	40.5	15.8	2.5
2005	675	43.5	15.5	n/a
2006	478	37.5	12.7	2.5
2007	471	38.0	12.4	3
2008	484	31.0	15.6	4.8
2009	489	43.1	11.1	1.4
2010	481	34.0	14.1	2.3
2011	493	34.2	14.4	3.9
2012	497	39.1	12.6	2.6
2013	492	41.8	11.7	4.1
2014	500	43.2	11.5	3.6
2015	484	44.0	11.0	4.5
2016	477	44.0	10.8	6.1
2017	396	39.2	10.1	3.3
2018	398	39.4	10.1	4
2019	424	38.4	11.0	3.1
2020	432	37.7	11.4	4.6
2021	406	39.4	10.3	3.9
2022	369	36.4	10.1	3.3
2023	369	39.4	9.3	2.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Union School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	454	34.0	13.3	n/a
1989	435	34.0	12.7	n/a
1990	425	33.0	12.8	1.9
1991	452	33.0	13.6	0
1992	457	32.0	14.2	0.7
1993	465	31.1	15.0	0
1994	447	32.1	13.9	0.2
1995	507	33.1	15.3	1.6
1996	507	33.1	15.3	1.6
1998	528	35.1	15.0	1.5
1999	568	37.1	15.3	0.9
2000	569	36.1	15.8	1.6
2001	591	39.0	15.2	2.2
2002	633	38.6	16.4	3.5
2003	633	38.6	16.4	3.5
2004	639	40.5	15.8	2.5
2005	675	43.5	15.5	n/a
2006	478	37.5	12.7	2.5
2007	471	38.0	12.4	3
2008	484	31.0	15.6	4.8
2009	489	43.1	11.1	1.4
2010	481	34.0	14.1	2.3
2011	493	34.2	14.4	3.9
2012	497	39.1	12.6	2.6
2013	492	41.8	11.7	4.1
2014	500	43.2	11.5	3.6
2015	484	44.0	11.0	4.5
2016	477	44.0	10.8	6.1
2017	396	39.2	10.1	3.3
2018	398	39.4	10.1	4
2019	424	38.4	11.0	3.1
2020	432	37.7	11.4	4.6
2021	406	39.4	10.3	3.9
2022	369	36.4	10.1	3.3
2023	369	39.4	9.3	2.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Union School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$8,872

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Union School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 205^th of 745 Middle schools	Ranks 188^th of 748 Middle schools	2.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Union School)	83.2	69.1	14.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Rutherford School District)	83.2	69.1	14.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)	62.8	55.7	7.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Union School)	65.6	48.6	17%
7th Grade Mathematics (Rutherford School District)	65.6	48.6	17%
7th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)	42.1	33.8	8.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Union School)	76	80.2	4.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Rutherford School District)	76	80.2	4.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)	62.9	55.3	7.6%
8th Grade Algebra I (Union School)	68.3	52.9	15.4%
8th Grade Algebra I (Rutherford School District)	68.3	52.9	15.4%
8th Grade Algebra I (New Jersey)	75.1	66	9.1%
End of Course Algebra I (Union School)	68.3	52.9	15.4%
End of Course Algebra I (Rutherford School District)	53.2	40.7	12.5%
End of Course Algebra I (New Jersey)	43.3	35.1	8.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	424	369	13%
African American	8	12	50%
American Indian	0	3
Asian	70	50	28.6%
Hispanic	83	90	8.4%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	243	196	19.3%
Two or More Races	20	16	20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	3.1%	2.2%	0.9%

Schools Near Union School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				NJSLA-S Science (2023)		NJSLA English Language Arts (2023)						NJSLA Mathematics (2023)						NJSLA Algebra I (2023)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NJSLA-S Science 5th Grade	NJSLA-S Science 8th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 4th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 5th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 6th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 7th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 8th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 3rd Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 4th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 5th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 6th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 7th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 8th Grade	NJSLA Algebra I 7th Grade	NJSLA Algebra I 8th Grade	NJSLA Algebra I End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Union School	Public	7-8	359 Union Ave	Rutherford	07070	Bergen County	Rutherford School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(201) 438-7675	369	39	9.3	2.2%	196 (53.1%)	12 (3.3%)	90 (24.4%)	50 (13.6%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (4.3%)	70.9	188^th of 748 public middle schools	74.9%		66.5	211^th of 745 public middle schools	71.7%	23		32.2					69.1	80.2					48.6			52.9	52.9	$8,872		$8,872
Alfred S. Faust Middle School	Public	6-8	100 Uhland Street	East Rutherford	07073	Bergen County	East Rutherford School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(201) 804-3100	215	28	7.6	46.0%	57 (26.5%)	14 (6.5%)	104 (48.4%)	29 (13.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.1%)	67.3	209^th of 748 public middle schools	72.1%		49.3	348^th of 745 public middle schools	53.3%	139		14.1				75.7	79.2	72.4				33.3	48.0	14.3				$14,389	$243	$14,146
Pierrepont School	Public	4-6	70 E Pierrepont Ave	Rutherford	07070	Bergen County	Rutherford School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(201) 438-7675	561	56	10.1	4.8%	281 (50.1%)	10 (1.8%)	140 (25.0%)	85 (15.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (7.7%)								(n/a)	33.0			82.0	80.3	83.4				59.2	66.5	66.5						$8,147	$203	$7,944
Wood-Ridge Intermediate School	Public	4-6	151 First Street	Wood Ridge	07075	Bergen County	Wood-Ridge School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(201) 933-6777	244	18	13.5	11.5%	137 (56.1%)	5 (2.0%)	75 (30.7%)	18 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	8 (3.3%)								(n/a)	35.6			61.3	56.3	74.5				61.3	57.4	46.5						$11,759	$116	$11,643
Passaic Gifted and Talented Academy School No. 20	Public	2-8	19 Henry Street	Passaic	07055	Passaic County	Passaic City School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(973) 470-5500	756	54	14.0	100.0%	9 (1.2%)	19 (2.5%)	708 (93.7%)	20 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52	332^nd of 748 public middle schools	55.6%		52.7	318^th of 745 public middle schools	57.3%	14	24.8	12.7	42.5	61.2	74.6	72.9	80.7	70.9	42.6	56.1	42.8	35.5	14.3		56.8	19.5	29.9	$7,620	$653	$6,967
Lyndhurst Middle School	Public	6-8	625 Page Avenue	Lyndhurst	07071	Bergen County	Lyndhurst Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(201) 438-5683	606	46	13.0	25.2%	293 (48.3%)	30 (5.0%)	239 (39.4%)	20 (3.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.8%)	37.7	438^th of 748 public middle schools	41.4%		40.6	428^th of 745 public middle schools	42.6%	10		13.1				39.1	39.8	55.6				26.2	24.5	9.2		81.6	81.6
Muhammad Ali School Number 23	Public	7-8	63 Dayton Ave	Passaic	07055	Passaic County	Passaic City School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(973) 470-5500	479	48	9.9	99.4%	1 (0.2%)	20 (4.2%)	456 (95.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	7.6	736^th of 748 public middle schools	1.6%					(n/a)		1.6					14.9	25.6					3.7			5.6	5.6
Ellen Ochoa School Number 22	Public	4-6	95 Dayton Ave	Passaic	07055	Passaic County	Passaic City School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(973) 470-5500	387	33	11.7	99.5%	3 (0.8%)	5 (1.3%)	376 (97.2%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)								(n/a)	3.3			10.0	14.5	23.8				12.0	8.3	5.6
John H. Walker Middle School	Public	7-8	325 Franklin Ave	Nutley	07110	Essex County	Nutley Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(973) 661-8869	605	50	12.2	12.7%	304 (50.2%)	19 (3.1%)	209 (34.5%)	53 (8.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.0%)	74.8	162^nd of 748 public middle schools	78.3%		68.9	191^st of 745 public middle schools	74.4%	29		23.1					71.0	66.5					49.2	33.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	$15,810	$376	$15,434
Thomas Jefferson Middle School	Public	6-8	75 First Street	Lodi	07644	Bergen County	Lodi School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(973) 478-8662	694	55	12.5	54.8%	145 (20.9%)	59 (8.5%)	427 (61.5%)	49 (7.1%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	9 (1.3%)	69.3	197^th of 748 public middle schools	73.7%		73	168^th of 745 public middle schools	77.4%	29		10.1				75.8	77.8	81.0				34.5	36.8	30.5		100.0	100.0	$7,692	$133	$7,559

Union School

Union School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Rutherford School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Union School

Rank History for all students at Union School

Rank History for Special Education students at Union School

Rank History for Female students at Union School

Rank History for Male students at Union School

Rank History for Asian students at Union School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Union School

Rank History for White students at Union School

Enrollment information for Union School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Union School

Student/Teacher Ratio Union School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Union School

Impact of COVID-19 on Union School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Union School

Union School

Alfred S. Faust Middle School

Pierrepont School

Wood-Ridge Intermediate School

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