John F. Kennedy High School

John F. Kennedy High School, a well-populated 9-12 campus in PATERSON, New Jersey, part of Paterson Public School District, educates 1,846 students, covering grades 9 through 12. That puts it 99% larger than the typical public school in New Jersey, which averages around 929 students.

Within Paterson Public School District, which oversees 43 schools and 21,372 students, John F. Kennedy High School is one campus in the system.

In terms of who attends, John F. Kennedy High School shows that Hispanic students make up the majority at 70%. Other groups include 15% Black, 8% Asian, 6% White. The wider county runs roughly 44% Hispanic, putting the school's mix noticeably more Hispanic than the area baseline.

On the income-and-resources front, John F. Kennedy High School records 138 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.4:1. That tracks the state average closely. Roughly 60% of students at John F. Kennedy High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), On a poverty-adjusted basis, John F. Kennedy High School sits in the bottom 10% statewide. Predicted proficiency from the FRL regression is roughly 33.2%; actual is 4.8%, a gap of -28.4 points.

Around the school, the surrounding county (Passaic County) shows that median household income runs about $87,522, 31% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 11%. John F. Kennedy High School is one of 155 public schools in Passaic County (combined enrollment of about 83,237 students).

Nearest neighbor: Joseph A. Taub School, around 0.3 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around John F. Kennedy High School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts John F. Kennedy High School at 9th of 9; the average score across the group is 27.5%.

The school occupies a suburban site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at John F. Kennedy High School has increased 226%, going from 566 students in 2018 to 1,846 in 2025. Asian enrollment moved from 2% to 8% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio grew from 10.7:1 in 2018 to 13.4:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.