South Plainfield School District
South Plainfield School District is a public school district based in South Plainfield, New Jersey, serving 3,813 students in 9 schools. By enrollment it ranks #94 of the 303 New Jersey districts with 1,000 or more students, larger than about 69% of them. Its schools average 424 students each, fewer than the New Jersey median of 563. Its superintendent is Dr. Noreen Tansey Lishak. It spends about $20,050 per student on day-to-day operations, about the state median. It has roughly 11.0 students per teacher.
How South Plainfield compares
Spending and staffing
| Measure | South Plainfield | New Jersey median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $20,050 | $21,034 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $12,538 | $12,858 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $76.4 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $79.2 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 348 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 695 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 11.0 | 11.6 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 166 | 276 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The New Jersey median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
Leadership
Moves tracker →Dr. Noreen Tansey Lishak
Source: New Jersey Department of Education, School Directory, checked 2026-10-05. Report a change
In the news
0 stories matchedWe haven't matched any stories to South Plainfield School District yet. Recent New Jersey coverage is on the New Jersey page.
Peer districts in New Jersey
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasantville Public School DistrictPleasantville | 3,852 | 6 | $23,365 | 12.3 | #92 |
| Princeton Public School DistrictPrinceton | 3,843 | 6 | $27,418 | 11.3 | #93 |
| South Plainfield School DistrictSouth Plainfield · this district | 3,813 | 9 | $20,050 | 11.0 | #94 |
| Willingboro Public School DistrictWillingboro | 3,806 | 8 | $20,369 | 14.6 | #95 |
| Cranford Public School DistrictCranford | 3,793 | 7 | $19,992 | 11.6 | #96 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutler-Orosi Joint UnifiedOrosi, CA | 3,815 | $14,557 | 19.4 |
| Hinsdale Twp HSD 86Hinsdale, IL | 3,815 | $27,829 | 12.8 |
| MelroseMelrose, MA | 3,815 | $15,028 | 13.7 |
| Harrison Central School DistrictHarrison, NY | 3,812 | $32,022 | 10.6 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-nj-south-plainfield-school-district