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Very Good

#549 of 2,466 schools in NJ

Top 22% in state

South Plainfield Middle School

Middle School · South Plainfield School District · South Plainfield, NJ

A middle school in South Plainfield, NJ where students score 6 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2201 PLAINFIELD AVENUE, South Plainfield, NJ 07080

  • Math 55% vs NJ 35% (2025)
  • Reading 55% vs NJ 57% (2025)
  • 9.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.6Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data16
Annual Change+4.94 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendImproving
Academics7.5Very Good35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency54.5% (2025 NJSLA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency55% (2025 NJSLA)
Math vs. State Avg+13 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+0.7 pts
Overall Proficiency55% (2025 NJSLA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)49% (model expectation from 2025 NJSLA)
vs. Expected+6.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile63th
Resources & Environment6.5Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio9.5:1
District spending per student$23,963
Chronic Absenteeism13.3%

Students at South Plainfield Middle School score 55% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 49%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NJSLA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NJ average.

Math Proficiency55%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
35%(2025 NJSLA)
ELA Proficiency55%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
57%(2025 NJSLA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 15 points since 2021, reaching 55% in 2025.

Show all 16 years
2009
Math
69%
ELA
83%
2010
Math
75%
ELA
79%
2011
Math
70%
ELA
76%
2012
Math
68%
ELA
75%
2013
Math
68%
ELA
73%
2014
Math
44%
ELA
54%
2015
Math
47%
ELA
60%
2016
Math
40%
ELA
56%
2017
Math
41%
ELA
61%
2018
Math
41%
ELA
64%
2019
Math
41%
ELA
64%
2020*
Math
20%
ELA
60%
2021*
Math
20%
ELA
60%
2022
Math
39%
ELA
57%
2024
Math
53%
ELA
47%
2025
Math
55%
ELA
55%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 38 test records from NJ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

34.6%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where South Plainfield Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the New York map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 69Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 22Minimal Transit
  • Bike 47Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,048/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (South Plainfield), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$126,161

Median home value

$444,100

Median rent

$1,928/mo

College educated

41.9%

Homeownership

85.1%

Poverty rate

3.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 07080; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Koinonia AcademyPrivate · tuition6.1privatePK–121.0 mi271Compare →
Hubbard Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.96–81.2 mi771Compare →
The Queen City Academy Charter SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified5.6K–121.2 mi300Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

South Plainfield School District

Schools in district
8
Rank in district
#3 of 7
District spending per student
$23,963NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
5.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

South Plainfield Middle School is listed in South Plainfield School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About South Plainfield Middle School

South Plainfield Middle School is a public middle school in South Plainfield, NJ, part of South Plainfield School District, serving approximately 503 students in grades 7th-8th with a 9.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10 and ranks #549 of 2,466 schools in NJ. State assessment records show 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about South Plainfield Middle School

What grades does South Plainfield Middle School serve?

South Plainfield Middle School serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend South Plainfield Middle School?

South Plainfield Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 503 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at South Plainfield Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at South Plainfield Middle School is 9.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does South Plainfield Middle School rank in NJ?

South Plainfield Middle School ranks #549 of 2,466 schools in NJ.

What is South Plainfield Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

South Plainfield Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at South Plainfield Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, South Plainfield Middle School has 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is South Plainfield Middle School a charter school?

No, South Plainfield Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is South Plainfield Middle School a Title I school?

No, South Plainfield Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for South Plainfield Middle School?

34.6% of students at South Plainfield Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
7th – 8th
Enrollment
503
Student-Teacher Ratio
9.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
53
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Middlesex County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
13.3%
Area population (ZIP 07080)
24,215
Area average commute
28 min
Area median age
41.7
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NJSLA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 NJSLA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NJSLA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 NJSLA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 07080; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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