Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 13 schools in district

Charles H. Stillman Elementary School

201 W FOURTH ST, PLAINFIELD, NJ 07062Plainfield Public School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–04Non-Charter
354
Students
Total enrolled
$36,038
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 151% vs nat'l
14.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 7% vs nat'l
35/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 30% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 354 students in grades KG–04 in PLAINFIELD, New Jersey.
151% above average funding
District spends $36,038 per pupil, 151% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 35th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Charles H. Stillman Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in PLAINFIELD, New Jersey, serving grades KG–04 with 354 students. The district invests $36,038 per student — 151% above the national average of $14,347, with a 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 94% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 35/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Charles H. Stillman Elementary School

354
Total Students
14.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
94%
Free Lunch
25
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–04) are served by this school
Gender Distribution190 male · 164 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility94%
National avg 52% · 332 students
Student Composition
96%
White1%
Hispanic / Latino96%
Black3%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 341314005626

Academic Outcomes at Charles H. Stillman Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
35
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 35th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 10th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 07062

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$36,038Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$36,038
State avg
$47,079
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$15,857
Student Support$6,847
Administration$4,325
Operations$5,406
Other$3,604
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $36,038 spent per student, an estimated $15,965 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
81%
State government
81.5%
Local (property tax)
9.5%
Federal programs
9.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $36,038/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (35/100) — national median is 50
  • 94% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Washington Community SchoolCedarbrook Elementary SchoolEvergreen Elementary SchoolEmerson Community School
+4 more
↓
Middle
Maxson Middle SchoolHubbard Middle School
↓
High School
Plainfield High SchoolPlainfield Academy For The Arts & Advanced Studies
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 04
Location—
CountyUnion County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictPlainfield Public School District →
Phone: (908)731-4240
NCES ID: 341314005626
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in PLAINFIELD seeking a public elementary 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 Plainfield Public School District
High
Plainfield High School
1,925 students · 09–12
● 36 opp79% FRL
Mid
Maxson Middle School
818 students · 06–08
● 35 opp84% FRL
Mid
Hubbard Middle School
775 students · 06–08
● 36 opp91% FRL
Elem
Washington Community School
649 students · PK–05
● 36 opp81% FRL
Elem
Cedarbrook Elementary School
623 students · KG–08
● 36 opp69% FRL
Elem
Evergreen Elementary School
602 students · KG–05
● 36 opp87% FRL
Elem
Emerson Community School
509 students · KG–05
● 35 opp79% FRL
Elem
Jefferson Elementary School
441 students · PK–05
● 48 opp86% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
201 W FOURTH ST, PLAINFIELD, NJ 07062
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.