Russell O. Brackman Middle School

Russell O. Brackman Middle School, a medium-sized junior high in BARNEGAT, New Jersey, run under Barnegat Township School District, enrolls 509 students, covering grades 7 through 8.

Barnegat Township School District comprises 6 schools with combined enrollment of 3,604 students; Russell O. Brackman Middle School is among them.

On the student-mix side, Russell O. Brackman Middle School records that 61% of the student body identifies as White; the rest breaks down as 23% Hispanic, 10% Black, 5% multiracial. That is meaningfully less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 83%.

In terms of school funding signals, Russell O. Brackman Middle School logs 57 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 8.9:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 10.9:1, putting Russell O. Brackman Middle School tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 46% of students at Russell O. Brackman Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Russell O. Brackman Middle School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 40.9% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 30.5%.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Ocean County put median household earnings sit near $89,863, 34% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Across Ocean County's 117 public schools (combined enrollment of about 66,051 students), Russell O. Brackman Middle School is one campus in the mix.

Cecil S. Collins Elementary is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.1 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 5 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Russell O. Brackman Middle School ranks 5th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 39.3%.

The school occupies a commuter-belt site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Russell O. Brackman Middle School has contracted 29%, going from 720 students in 2018 to 509 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 72% to 61% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 11.6:1 in 2018 to 8.9:1 today.

On the community side, 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.