Hillcrest Academy-South

Hillcrest Academy-South, a micro-enrollment 9-12 campus in WESTFIELD, New Jersey, operated by Union County Educational Services Commission, caters to 87 students, covering grades 9 through 12. By comparison, New Jersey's public schools average about 929 students each, so Hillcrest Academy-South sits 91% smaller than that benchmark.

Hillcrest Academy-South is one of 6 schools operated by Union County Educational Services Commission, a district that works with 324 students overall.

In terms of who attends, Hillcrest Academy-South reports that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 69% of enrollment; the rest comes out to 24% Black, 6% White. The wider county runs roughly 35% Hispanic, putting the school's mix noticeably more Hispanic than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Hillcrest Academy-South has 12 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 7.6:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 12.7:1 average. About 59% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

Zooming out to the county, Union County reports that median household income runs about $103,202, roughly 39% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. Hillcrest Academy-South is one of 180 public schools in Union County (combined enrollment of about 99,046 students).

The closest other public school is Westlake, roughly 0.0 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Geographically, the school is in an outer-ring area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 15%: 102 students in 2018 compared to 87 in 2025. The Black share of enrollment contracted from 47% to 24% over that span. Class-load math has fell: from 10.2:1 in 2018 to 7.6:1 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the feed for Hillcrest Academy-South typically covers enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.