Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School

Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School operates as a middle-of-the-pack primary school in PLAINFIELD, New Jersey, operated by Plainfield Public School District. Current enrollment sits at 423 students spanning grades K through 5.

Across the 15 schools in Plainfield Public School District (8,522 students total), Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School shows that the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic (89%). Other groups include 9% Black. By comparison, Union County as a whole is about 35% Hispanic, so the school skews considerably more Hispanic than its surroundings.

On the resource side, Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School reports 33 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 12.7:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 11.4:1, putting Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School higher than the state norm the norm. Around 83% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is noticeably above Union County's rate of about 52%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 20.6%; this one delivers 19.6%.

In the surrounding community, the surrounding county (Union County) logs that median household income runs about $103,202, 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Union County's 180 public schools (combined enrollment of about 99,046 students), Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Pinnacle Academy High School, around 0.2 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School ranks 4th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 22.4%.

The campus sits in a bedroom-community setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Dewitt D. Barlow Elementary School has grew 5%, going from 402 students in 2018 to 423 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 80% to 89% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 15.5:1 in 2018 to 12.7:1 today.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.