Clayton Middle School

Set in CLAYTON, New Jersey, Clayton Middle School is a low-enrollment junior high, overseen by Clayton Public School District. It teaches 299 students across grades 6 through 8. Compared to the state average of about 578 students per school, that is 48% below typical.

Across the 3 schools in Clayton Public School District (1,445 students total), Clayton Middle School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On demographics, Clayton Middle School reports that the most-represented group is White (38%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Other groups include 28% Black, 20% Hispanic, 12% multiracial. That is visibly less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 76%.

On the resource side, Staff filings list 30 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 9.9:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 10.9:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 64% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Gloucester County (around 32%), the school's rate is north of typical.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Clayton Middle School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 31.0% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 29.6%.

Zooming out to the county, ACS estimates for Gloucester County put median household income runs about $105,115, roughly 37% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Clayton Middle School is one of 86 public schools in Gloucester County (combined enrollment of about 46,080 students).

Nearest neighbor: Clayton High School, around 0.0 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Clayton Middle School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Clayton Middle School at 6th of 8; the average score across the group is 36.9%.

The campus sits in a bedroom-community setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count ticked down 13%: 345 students in 2018 compared to 299 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share fell from 48% to 38%. Class-load math has fell: from 20.3:1 in 2018 to 9.9:1 in 2025.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.