Jefferson Elementary

Jefferson Elementary is a medium-sized junior high in UNION, New Jersey, part of Township of Union School District. The school enrolls 564 students in grade 5.

Township of Union School District comprises 10 schools with combined enrollment of 7,845 students; Jefferson Elementary is among them.

Demographically, Jefferson Elementary records that the most-represented group is Black (43%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Beyond that, the school reports 29% Hispanic, 16% White, 7% Asian, 3% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 20% Black, putting the school's mix visibly more Black than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 41 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.8:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 10.9:1, putting Jefferson Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. Roughly 53% of students at Jefferson Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Jefferson Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 37.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 32.3%.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (Union County) reports that median household earnings sit near $103,202, about 39% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Jefferson Elementary is one of 180 public schools in Union County (combined enrollment of about 99,046 students).

The closest other public school is Tuscan Elementary School, roughly 0.8 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Jefferson Elementary ranks 8th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 55.7%.

Geographically, the school is in a commuter-belt area.

Over the past 7-year window. Jefferson Elementary's enrollment has remained close to its prior level since 2018, when it stood at 562 (now 564). Hispanic enrollment moved from 24% to 29% across the same window. Class-load math has loosened: from 10.6:1 in 2018 to 13.8:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.