Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology, Paterson NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology

Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology is a single-school charter district serving kindergarten through twelfth grade in the city of Paterson. As a charter school, it operates independently of the traditional Paterson Public Schools district, drawing students from across the city. The school enrolls a large student body for a single campus, with grade-level cohorts that are fairly steady through the elementary and middle years before tapering slightly in high school. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black student presence and a small number of White and Asian students. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families the school serves.

Paterson is a dense, historically industrial city that has experienced significant economic challenges, with a poverty rate well above the national average. The city is a major destination for immigrant communities, particularly Hispanic, Turkish, Arab, and South Asian families, giving its neighborhoods a distinct commercial and cultural texture. Housing values in the school’s zip code sit above the national median but below the state median, a pattern consistent with a city that offers relatively more affordable home prices compared to much of northern New Jersey, though still steep for many families. The wider economic context includes a modest unemployment rate and slowly rising home values, but redevelopment efforts around the Great Falls National Historical Park and adaptive reuse of historic mill buildings signal some investment.

On state assessments, the school’s results show a mixed picture. In English language arts, performance varies by grade. Several elementary and middle grades show that a minority of students meet the state’s proficiency benchmark, with sixth grade standing out as a relative bright spot where a majority of students scored proficient. Other grades are closer to a moderate share. In math, proficiency rates are lower across every tested grade compared to ELA, with results declining particularly sharply in eighth grade, where very few students reached proficiency. Science results for grades five and eight are similarly low. Overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places the school below the midpoint relative to other districts in Passaic County. Because state testing in New Jersey covers only grades three through eight and specific science grades, no comparable assessment data is available for high school years. The school does serve a full high school, but graduation rate information was not available in the data, so a parent may want to ask directly about four-year completion rates and postsecondary outcomes.

Information on special education and English learner populations was not present in the data provided, nor were discipline records, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism rates. These are meaningful gaps for a family trying to understand the level of student support and school climate. The district brief showed no recent major changes or initiatives publicly reported in the last several years, so the school’s programming and policies appear stable.

This is a charter school in a high-poverty urban setting, serving a diverse student body that is overwhelmingly low-income. The academic results suggest that math and science are areas of particular challenge, while ELA shows more variability and one grade level of relative strength. A family considering this school should press for details on high school outcomes, support services for students who are behind grade level, and how the school addresses the needs of its large population of economically disadvantaged students. The housing market in Paterson offers some of the more attainable home prices in the region, but the city itself continues to grapple with poverty and infrastructure needs. The school’s charter status means it has some autonomy over curriculum and staffing, which may appeal to families seeking an alternative to the traditional district model, but the performance data suggests that a careful look at the school’s academic trajectory and any recent improvement efforts would be wise.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

85-89%Cohort of 107 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

425 schools plotted. 7 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 33%

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 17%

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 28%

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 619%

School 19% · District 19%

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 724%

School 24% · District 24%

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 86%

School 6% · District 6%

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 38%

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 44%

▼ 12 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 42%

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 656%

School 56% · District 56%

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 750%

School 50% · District 50%

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 837%

School 37% · District 37%

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Science

Grade 59%

School 9% · District 9%

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 89%

School 9% · District 9%

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

This schoolPaterson Charter School for Science and Technology, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income39%Higher-income28%11 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income45%Higher-income33%11 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income41%Higher-income50%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income59%Higher-income38%21 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income52%Higher-income41%11 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income40%Higher-income17%23 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income32%Higher-income45%13 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income18%Higher-income13%4 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income26%Higher-income40%14 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income20%Higher-income14%5 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income25%Higher-income22%2 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income7%Higher-income0%7 pp gap