Paterson Arts and Science Charter School

Paterson Arts and Science Charter School is one of the mid-tier combined-grade schools in Paterson, New Jersey, overseen by Paterson Arts and Science Charter School, with 1,330 students on its rolls from grades K through 12. That puts it 42% bigger than the typical public school in New Jersey, which averages around 934 students.

Operationally, Paterson Arts and Science Charter School answers to Paterson Arts and Science Charter School, which sets policy, hires staff, and reports enrollment to the state.

On demographics, Paterson Arts and Science Charter School lists that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 79% of enrollment. The remainder comes out to 17% Black, 2% White. That is meaningfully more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 44%.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 103 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.9:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.8:1, putting Paterson Arts and Science Charter School tighter than the state norm the norm. About 70% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is higher than Passaic County's rate of about 61%.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Paterson Arts and Science Charter School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 27.6% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 20.5%.

In the area at large, Passaic County reports that median household income runs about $87,522, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Passaic County's 155 public schools (combined enrollment of about 83,237 students), Paterson Arts and Science Charter School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is International High School, roughly 0.1 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Paterson Arts and Science Charter School at 6th of 9; the average score across the group is 21.4%.

The campus sits in a bedroom-community setting. Paterson Arts and Science Charter School operates as a public charter school, meaning it is publicly funded but governed independently of the surrounding district's traditional schools.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count ticked up 92%: 694 students in 2018 compared to 1,330 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 30% to 17% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 15.8:1 in 2018 to 12.9:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.