Overview

GENERAL BACKGROUND 

There are 49 Catholic elementary schools located within the Archdiocese of Newark, with a total PreK-8 student enrollment of 11,882 students as of October 2023: 44 elementary schools are archdiocesan schools, and 5 are private schools run by religious orders. 

LOCATION OF SCHOOLS 

Our Catholic elementary schools are located in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties: 64% are located in suburban settings, 36% are within urban/inner-city areas. 

STUDENT DIVERSITY 

The Catholic elementary schools educate a diverse group of students. Our enrollment breakdown includes: 57% Caucasian of which 25% are Hispanic or Latino, 13% African American, 12% Asian, 2% Pacific Islander, and 16% other groups or multi-racial.  

FAITH BACKGROUND 

Roman Catholics comprise 74% of the Catholic elementary school student population. 

ACADEMIC PROGRAM 

The Catholic elementary schools exceed the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and follow Archdiocesan curriculum guidelines with Catholic social teachings integrated throughout the curriculum. 
 
Twenty-three of our Catholic elementary schools have been recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. 

HIGH SCHOOL DESTINATIONS 

80% of our Catholic elementary school graduates pursue a Catholic secondary education. The remaining 20% attend private and public (magnet, charter, specialized) high schools. 

TEACHING STAFF 

The teaching staff is comprised of 98% lay women and men, and 2% religious and priests. 

Note: All statistics are based upon the most recent census conducted by the Schools Office of the Archdiocese of Newark. The census is updated annually in the fall.