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Middlesex County – School Districts 2023-2024

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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
South River Borough School District
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District  
South Plainfield Borough School District  
Carteret Borough School District  
North Brunswick Township School District  
Sayreville Borough School District  
Monroe Township School District  
Piscataway Township School District  
South Brunswick Township School District  
Old Bridge Township School District  
East Brunswick Township School District  
New Brunswick City School District  
Perth Amboy City School District  
Woodbridge Township School District  
Edison Township School District  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
PK-12
19
1,281
13.44

269
983
1,230
1,167
1,305
1,362
1,344
1,425
1,402
1,396
1,238
1,242
1,310
1,332
17,005
0
0
213
17,218

1,564
1,456
10,883
2,468
185
28
411

32
2
740
411
96
1,281

0
0
53
53

45
56
30
106
5
0
16
213
441

5
40
75

497
497
PK-12
24
1,212
11.81

238
971
995
1,037
1,033
1,049
1,084
1,053
1,027
1,078
1,095
1,099
1,179
1,106
14,044
0
0
276
14,320

3,726
1,643
3,890
4,510
1
0
273

0
45
517
371
279
1,212

0
0
45
45

37
78
32
104
1
0
12
276
508

5
53
90

121
121
PK-12
12
796
13.45

1,252
714
686
686
730
738
731
709
672
667
687
717
667
700
10,356
0
0
351
10,707

95
450
37
9,721
4
3
42

93
7
347
207
142
796

0
0
36
36

43
52
25
83
9
0
22
351
558

5
35
65

450
450
PK-12
12
785
12.28

925
591
638
625
636
620
662
674
696
680
672
707
649
668
9,443
0
0
200
9,643

65
620
41
8,669
10
2
33

36
34
346
238
131
785

0
0
31
31

44
55
47
117
11
0
16
200
443

5
57
109

265
265
PK-12
11
735
11.51

144
416
500
532
551
573
617
698
672
665
681
720
717
698
8,184
0
0
277
8,461

3,559
463
2,694
1,116
22
26
301

0
0
296
200
239
735

0
0
32
32

22
52
26
80
5
0
10
277
446

5
55
86

413
413
KG-12
14
677
12.24

94
488
549
575
572
622
565
568
628
655
629
672
677
682
7,976
0
0
312
8,288

4,409
684
1,259
1,374
20
16
205

13
23
325
196
120
677

0
0
25
25

25
43
12
61
1
0
9
312
451

4
32
48

302
302
PK-12
12
665
12.24

281
420
453
522
522
518
562
615
611
671
657
680
675
749
7,936
0
0
201
8,137

1,364
585
4,909
835
38
6
195

24
26
270
206
139
665

0
0
28
28

32
38
30
56
11
0
12
201
350

6
35
71

335
335
PK-12
11
539
13.76

613
513
501
530
517
488
528
480
497
520
528
517
564
537
7,333
0
0
82
7,415

860
1,724
2,522
1,866
56
38
267

37
0
252
159
91
539

0
0
15
15

27
45
32
55
1
0
17
82
227

5
21
58

112
112
PK-12
8
546
12.97

44
296
375
418
438
453
516
530
608
579
630
640
680
699
6,906
0
0
175
7,081

2,283
248
3,550
676
1
5
141

9
6
240
187
104
546

0
0
24
24

19
37
13
65
8
0
10
175
313

4
26
43

174
174
PK-12
9
549
11.95

677
407
459
444
427
440
446
421
444
475
441
484
438
457
6,460
0
0
102
6,562

2,522
1,094
1,016
1,240
139
81
362

51
6
262
142
88
549

0
0
21
21

20
23
14
53
6
0
6
102
210

4
33
51

213
213
PK-12
8
574
10.63

472
385
406
412
388
397
380
367
397
427
451
458
506
504
5,950
0
0
152
6,102

817
1,173
1,026
2,686
30
10
208

40
4
257
157
116
574

0
0
19
19

24
45
42
41
7
0
7
152
276

2
23
67

135
135
PK-12
6
316
12.74

230
287
262
284
294
268
285
290
296
309
298
305
286
315
4,009
0
0
18
4,027

372
679
930
1,906
13
8
101

14
15
150
97
40
316

0
0
7
7

19
8
4
39
0
0
6
18
89

4
16
24

42
42
PK-12
8
341
11.12

156
275
260
259
289
283
275
276
269
236
260
266
289
301
3,694
0
0
98
3,792

1,266
383
658
1,239
15
17
113

18
7
131
120
65
341

0
0
16
16

18
20
3
31
3
0
4
98
174

4
19
26

99
99
PK-12
10
784
11.74

76
468
525
596
590
642
684
725
739
805
803
781
770
811
9,015
0
0
188
9,203

1,169
463
6,542
476
26
5
334

5
4
411
305
59
784

0
0
35
35

32
55
27
65
9
0
17
188
365

6
16
49

91
91
PK-12
4
207
12.28

185
148
164
180
171
137
195
175
172
196
176
204
162
204
2,469
0
0
73
2,542

1,094
141
51
1,116
3
3
60

13
6
85
62
41
207

0
0
7
7

12
16
7
20
1
0
3
73
125

3
8
18

45
45


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus