Plainfield Public School District


The Plainfield Public School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from Plainfield, in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.
As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of 14 schools, had an enrollment of 10,097 students and 628.7 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 16.1:1.
The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "B", the second lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.

History

In August 2017, the district received approval from the New Jersey Schools Development Authority to construct a new elementary school that will replace the Cook and Woodland Avenue schools, which will both be demolished when the new school is completed. The new facility, which would accommodate 750 students in grades K-5, is expected to be completed in 2022 at a cost of $57 million.
In July 2023, ceremonies were held for the new Charles and Anna Booker Elementary School, a facility constructed with the assistance of the Schools Development Authority at a cost of $59.4 million.

Schools

Schools in the district are:
;Elementary schools
  • DeWitt D. Barlow Elementary School
  • *Wilson Aponte, principal
  • Charles and Anna Booker Elementary School
  • *Juanpablo Jimenez, principal
  • Cedarbrook K-8 Center
  • *Tenisha L. Fort, principal
  • Clinton Elementary School
  • *Aurora J. Hill, principal
  • Frederic W. Cook Elementary School
  • *Caryn Cooper, principal
  • Emerson Community School
  • *Dion A. Roach, principal
  • Evergreen Elementary School
  • *Johan Manuel Rojas, principal
  • Jefferson Elementary School
  • *Telaya L. Parham, principal
  • Charles H. Stillman Elementary School
  • *Brenda Noble, principal
  • Washington Community School
  • *Natasha M. De Jesus-Boston, principal
;Middle schools
  • Frank J. Hubbard Middle School
  • *Olivia Rodríguez-Calderon, principal
  • Maxson Middle School
  • *April Morgan, principal
;High schools / academies

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:

Board of education

The district's board of education, comprised of nine members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.