Union High School

Summary:

Union High School is a public high school located in Union, New Jersey, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,308 students. The school is part of the Township of Union School District, which is ranked 434 out of 613 districts in New Jersey and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Union High School's performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally below the state average. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 43.4% of 9th-grade students were proficient or better in NJSLA/English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 58.1%. The school's performance in NJSLA/Algebra I, NJSLA/Geometry, and NJSLA-S/Science is also significantly lower than the state average. However, when compared to nearby high schools, such as Hillside High School, Roselle Park High School, and Irvington High School, Union High School generally performs at a similar or slightly higher level in terms of academic achievement, graduation rates, and dropout rates.

One area of concern for Union High School is its relatively high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 16.6% to 22.2% over the past few years, which is higher than the state average. Additionally, the school has a significant population of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 31.76% to 40.79% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. While the school's performance is lower than higher-performing schools in the area, such as Cranford High School and Millburn High School, targeted interventions and support for underperforming student subgroups, as well as strategies to address chronic absenteeism, could be important areas of focus for the school and district to improve overall student outcomes.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 2350 North Third Street
       Union, NJ  07083


(908) 851-6500

District: Township of Union School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
305th of 426 New Jersey High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,460 Help


Feeder schools for Union High School:

Elementary:    Battle Hill Elementary
    Connecticut Farms Elementary
    Franklin Elementary
    Hannah Caldwell Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Burnet Middle School
    Jefferson Elementary
    Kawameeh Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.0 Help
Number of students:  2,363

Racial breakdown:

African American:
46.8%
Hispanic:
28.6%
White:
13.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  45.5% Help


 See top rated New Jersey high schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Union High School ranks worse than 71.6% of high schools in New Jersey. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.57. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Union High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Student population at Union High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (46.8%), Hispanic (28.6%), White (13.2%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 45.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Union High School is 14. (See more...)
Help
Compare Union High School employs 168 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Union High School is $8,460.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Union High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Union High School 305th of 426 New Jersey public high schools. (See Union High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Township of Union School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Township of Union School District 434th of 613 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Union High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 41.89 240th 343 30.0%
2004 43.73 245th 348 29.6%
2005 33.12 271st 351 22.8%
2006 36.23 270th 357 24.4%
2007 40.88 259th 361 28.3%
2008 33.26 279th 359 22.3%
2009 33.89 287th 370 22.4%
2010 30.07 302nd 371 18.6%
2011 29.26 303rd 378 19.8%
2012 34.10 302nd 388 22.2%
2013 43.51 288th 396 27.3%
2014 41.13 311th 411 24.3%
2015 30.93 277th 406 31.8%
2016 30.06 280th 409 31.5%
2017 29.27 286th 411 30.4%
2018 39.55 219th 415 47.2%
2019 40.65 217th 416 47.8%
2021 31.87 253rd 405 37.5%
2022 28.36 279th 415 32.8%
2023 25.97 297th 422 29.6%
2024 25.57 305th 426 28.4%
See the entire list of New Jersey High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.63 113th 146 22.6%
2019 55.53 44th 138 68.1%
2021 50.32 33rd 101 67.3%
2022 30.16 95th 137 30.7%
2023 48.66 52nd 161 67.7%
2024 28.59 134th 179 25.1%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.71 165th 355 53.5%
2019 43.30 162nd 349 53.6%
2021 26.35 249th 333 25.2%
2022 31.87 223rd 344 35.2%
2023 37.78 176th 339 48.1%
2024 27.52 259th 349 25.8%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.38 117th 345 66.1%
2019 63.11 78th 347 77.5%
2021 52.15 111th 326 66.0%
2022 44.46 139th 324 57.1%
2023 39.22 176th 344 48.8%
2024 43.82 151st 350 56.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.35 226th 403 43.9%
2019 42.80 211th 408 48.3%
2021 33.56 251st 402 37.6%
2022 28.65 274th 414 33.8%
2023 24.08 301st 416 27.6%
2024 22.94 312th 416 25.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.74 228th 405 43.7%
2019 38.34 213th 407 47.7%
2021 32.49 248th 402 38.3%
2022 27.56 266th 410 35.1%
2023 26.27 271st 414 34.5%
2024 23.93 303rd 415 27.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.51 147th 198 25.8%
2019 32.33 139th 191 27.2%
2021 28.46 133rd 165 19.4%
2022 14.99 156th 175 10.9%
2023 28.53 124th 172 27.9%
2024 8.54 162nd 174 6.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.56 59th 266 77.8%
2019 71.72 39th 254 84.6%
2021 52.18 92nd 247 62.8%
2022 50.51 83rd 256 67.6%
2023 49.62 80th 250 68.0%
2024 45.72 111th 260 57.3%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.78 162nd 368 56.0%
2019 46.66 159th 364 56.3%
2021 43.59 180th 374 51.9%
2022 36.42 214th 382 44.0%
2023 38.88 191st 385 50.4%
2024 31.27 249th 394 36.8%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.64 199th 340 41.5%
2019 34.16 199th 339 41.3%
2021 19.58 290th 336 13.7%
2022 31.26 217th 335 35.2%
2023 13.85 296th 335 11.6%
2024 31.42 213th 337 36.8%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High 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.

Union High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Union High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1143 204 41 46 0 n/a n/a 0 1434
1989 1036 207 43 59 0 n/a n/a 0 1345
1990 982 174 49 72 0 n/a n/a 0 1277
1991 980 179 63 59 0 n/a n/a 0 1281
1992 1352 242 103 74 0 n/a n/a 0 1771
1993 1366 267 122 71 0 n/a n/a 0 1826
1994 1328 278 129 86 0 n/a n/a 0 1821
1995 1297 353 166 125 2 n/a n/a 0 1943
1996 1297 353 166 125 2 n/a n/a 0 1943
1998 1253 471 210 166 1 n/a n/a 0 2101
1999 1208 532 209 183 0 n/a n/a 0 2132
2000 1208 615 216 183 0 n/a n/a -1 2221
2001 1155 707 229 205 0 n/a n/a 0 2296
2002 1122 867 258 230 1 n/a n/a 0 2478
2003 1122 867 258 230 1 n/a n/a 0 2478
2004 1018 898 275 260 1 n/a n/a 0 2452
2005 972 925 291 278 1 n/a n/a 0 2467
2006 943 1009 286 335 0 n/a n/a 0 2573
2007 874 1051 276 356 0 n/a n/a 0 2557
2008 773 1077 269 413 0 n/a n/a 0 2532
2009 765 1034 237 399 0 12 2 0 2449
2010 697 1066 242 392 0 12 1 0 2410
2011 616 1097 237 396 0 10 2 0 2358
2012 572 1088 217 425 0 13 2 0 2317
2013 548 1138 231 449 1 15 5 0 2387
2014 525 1161 230 430 1 16 6 0 2369
2015 512 1137 229 439 0 14 4 0 2335
2016 483 1094 208 406 0 14 7 0 2212
2017 452 1079 208 451 0 17 11 0 2218
2018 421 1091 193 468 0 23 11 0 2207
2019 406 1059 176 498 0 24 17 0 2180
2020 395 1063 176 526 1 22 19 0 2202
2021 359 1064 172 545 4 14 24 0 2182
2022 324 1124 190 591 2 6 33 0 2270
2023 310 1114 186 643 3 5 47 0 2308
2024 312 1105 204 676 4 4 58 0 2363

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 High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1434 95.0 15.0 n/a
1989 1345 93.0 14.4 n/a
1990 1277 88.0 14.5 1.6
1991 1281 69.0 18.5 2
1992 1771 103.0 17.1 2
1993 1826 105.4 17.3 3.2
1994 1821 109.2 16.7 5.3
1995 1943 114.8 16.9 5.6
1996 1943 114.8 16.9 5.6
1998 2101 126.0 16.7 6.1
1999 2132 134.0 15.9 12.3
2000 2221 145.0 15.3 11.3
2001 2296 145.3 15.8 12.7
2002 2478 171.0 14.5 13.3
2003 2478 171.0 14.5 13.3
2004 2452 167.0 14.7 15.3
2005 2467 174.0 14.2 n/a
2006 2573 173.0 14.9 25.5
2007 2557 181.0 14.1 25.9
2008 2532 184.0 13.8 29.3
2009 2449 170.4 12.5 31.9
2010 2410 157.0 15.3 31.7
2011 2358 155.0 15.2 32.6
2012 2317 177.3 13.0 41.2
2013 2387 169.2 14.1 41.9
2014 2369 188.1 12.5 33.3
2015 2335 186.0 12.5 39.8
2016 2212 182.0 12.1 38.7
2017 2218 182.0 12.1 40.7
2018 2207 181.0 12.1 38.7
2019 2180 176.0 12.3 34.9
2020 2202 171.1 12.8 36.5
2021 2182 168.0 12.9 37.9
2022 2270 169.0 13.4 40.8
2023 2308 166.0 13.9 31.8
2024 2363 168.0 14.0 45.5

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 High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1434 95.0 15.0 n/a
1989 1345 93.0 14.4 n/a
1990 1277 88.0 14.5 1.6
1991 1281 69.0 18.5 2
1992 1771 103.0 17.1 2
1993 1826 105.4 17.3 3.2
1994 1821 109.2 16.7 5.3
1995 1943 114.8 16.9 5.6
1996 1943 114.8 16.9 5.6
1998 2101 126.0 16.7 6.1
1999 2132 134.0 15.9 12.3
2000 2221 145.0 15.3 11.3
2001 2296 145.3 15.8 12.7
2002 2478 171.0 14.5 13.3
2003 2478 171.0 14.5 13.3
2004 2452 167.0 14.7 15.3
2005 2467 174.0 14.2 n/a
2006 2573 173.0 14.9 25.5
2007 2557 181.0 14.1 25.9
2008 2532 184.0 13.8 29.3
2009 2449 170.4 12.5 31.9
2010 2410 157.0 15.3 31.7
2011 2358 155.0 15.2 32.6
2012 2317 177.3 13.0 41.2
2013 2387 169.2 14.1 41.9
2014 2369 188.1 12.5 33.3
2015 2335 186.0 12.5 39.8
2016 2212 182.0 12.1 38.7
2017 2218 182.0 12.1 40.7
2018 2207 181.0 12.1 38.7
2019 2180 176.0 12.3 34.9
2020 2202 171.1 12.8 36.5
2021 2182 168.0 12.9 37.9
2022 2270 169.0 13.4 40.8
2023 2308 166.0 13.9 31.8
2024 2363 168.0 14.0 45.5

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 High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $206 (2.4%) $8,254 (97.6%) $8,460

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Union High 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 217th of 416 High schoolsRanks 297th of 422 High schools
 18.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Union High School)55.642.6
 13%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (Township of Union School District)55.642.6
 13%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)55.952.1
 3.8%
9th Grade Algebra I (Union High School)20.811.3
 9.5%
   9th Grade Algebra I (Township of Union School District)20.811.3
 9.5%
   9th Grade Algebra I (New Jersey)27.219.2
 8%
9th Grade Geometry (Union High School)56.827.1
 29.7%
   9th Grade Geometry (Township of Union School District)56.827.1
 29.7%
   9th Grade Geometry (New Jersey)59.150
 9.1%
End of Course Algebra I (Union High School)19.211.3
 7.9%
   End of Course Algebra I (Township of Union School District)37.529.8
 7.7%
   End of Course Algebra I (New Jersey)43.335.1
 8.2%
End of Course Geometry (Union High School)24.827.1
 2.3%
   End of Course Geometry (Township of Union School District)24.827.1
 2.3%
   End of Course Geometry (New Jersey)32.251.2
 19%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students21802308
 5.9%
African American10591114
 5.2%
American Indian03
Asian176186
 5.7%
Hispanic498643
 29.1%
Pacific Islander245
 79.2%
White406310
 23.6%
Two or More Races1747
 176.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients34.9%31.8%
 3.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Union High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,363 students attended Union High School.

Students at Union High School are 47% African American, 29% Hispanic, 13% White, 9% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

Union High School ranks 305th of 426 New Jersey high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Jersey Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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