Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 41 schools in district

Alternative High School

350 MARKET STREET, PATERSON, NJ 07501Paterson Public School District →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
125
Students
Total enrolled
$35,791
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 149% vs nat'l
5.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 68% vs nat'l
44/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 13% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 125 students in grades 09–12 in PATERSON, New Jersey.
149% above average funding
District spends $35,791 per pupil, 149% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 44th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Alternative High School is a small high in PATERSON, New Jersey, serving grades 09–12 with 125 students. The district invests $35,791 per student — 149% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 5.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 66% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Alternative High School

125
Total Students
5.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
66%
Free Lunch
25
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution75 male · 50 female
60%
40%
Male 60%Female 40%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility66%
National avg 52% · 82 students
Student Composition
43%
54%
Asian1%
White2%
Hispanic / Latino43%
Black54%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 341269003111

Academic Outcomes at Alternative High School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
44
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 44th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 49th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 07501

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$35,791Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$35,791
State avg
$47,079
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$15,748
Student Support$6,800
Administration$4,295
Operations$5,369
Other$3,579
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $35,791 spent per student, an estimated $15,856 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
80%
State government
79.8%
Local (property tax)
8.8%
Federal programs
11.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $35,791/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 5.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
School 16School 5School 18Charles J. Riley School 9
+21 more
↓
Middle
Joseph A. Taub SchoolNew Roberto Clemente
↓
High School
Eastside High SchoolJohn F. Kennedy High SchoolInternational High School
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyPassaic County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictPaterson Public School District →
Phone: (973)321-0110
NCES ID: 341269003111
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in PATERSON seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Paterson Public School District
High
Eastside High School
2,323 students · 09–12
● 44 opp53% FRL
High
John F. Kennedy High School
2,053 students · 09–12
52% FRL
Mid
Joseph A. Taub School
978 students · 06–08
51% FRL
Elem
School 16
835 students · PK–08
● 36 opp74% FRL
Elem
School 5
785 students · KG–05
63% FRL
Elem
School 18
757 students · 01–08
● 35 opp81% FRL
Elem
Charles J. Riley School 9
726 students · PK–08
● 41 opp80% FRL
High
International High School
694 students · 09–12
● 44 opp62% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
350 MARKET STREET, PATERSON, NJ 07501
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.