The Jersey City Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district located in Jersey City, in Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Jersey City Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Jersey City Public Schools, adopted March 24, 2022. Accessed April 9, 2025. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Jersey City School District. Composition: The Jersey City School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Jersey City." The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. BurkeWhat We Do: History, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022. "In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in the Abbott v. Burke case that the State must provide 100 percent funding for all school renovation and construction projects in special-needs school districts. According to the Court, aging, unsafe and overcrowded buildings prevented children from receiving the "thorough and efficient" education required under the New Jersey Constitution.... Full funding for approved projects was authorized for the 31 special-needs districts, known as 'Abbott Districts'." which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.What We Do, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.SDA Districts, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.

As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprising 39 schools, had an enrollment of 29,113 students and 2,173.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1.District information for Jersey City Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2021.

The district had been classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "B", the second lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 1, 2024.

The district was one of three districts in New Jersey (along with Newark Public Schools and Paterson Public Schools) under state intervention, which authorizes the state Commissioner of Education to intervene in curriculum functions. Calling the district a "total educational failure", the state took over control in 1989; In 2017, Jersey City became the first school district in New Jersey to regain full local control after having been under state intervention.Clark, Adam. "N.J. ends state takeover of Jersey City's public schools", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, July 5, 2017. Accessed April 9, 2025. "The state's takeover of Jersey City Public Schools is coming to an end nearly 30 years after the city's school district was deemed a 'total educational failure.' The state Board of Education on Wednesday voted to grant the district local control over its instruction and programming, the final administrative category under supervision from the state. The district and state will now develop a transition plan for Jersey City to emerge from state intervention.... The state took over Jersey City's school district in 1989 after education officials said the city's schools were failing and hurting students. It was the first school system taken over by New Jersey's state government, which later took control of Newark, Paterson and Camden schools for similar troubles."

Awards, recognition and rankings Academy I Middle School was one of nine public schools recognized in 2017 as Blue Ribbon Schools by the United States Department of Education."Nine New Jersey Public Schools Earn National Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education", New Jersey Department of Education, September 28, 2017. Accessed October 18, 2017. Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School was one of 18 schools statewide (and three public high schools) honored in 2018 by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, marking the second time the school was recognized by the program."2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Non-Public Schools", United States Department of Education. Accessed October 18, 2018.Clark, Adam. "These 18 N.J. schools were named among the best in U.S. by Trump administration", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 2, 2018. Accessed October 18, 2018. Infinity Institute was honored by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program in 2019, one of nine schools in the state recognized as Exemplary High Performing Schools.2019 National Blue Ribbon Schools Exemplary High Performing Schools, National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Accessed September 26, 2019.

McNair Academic High School was the second-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 328 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2012 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked second in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 21, 2012. Accessed September 23, 2012. William L. Dickinson High School is the oldest high school in the city and James J. Ferris High School is represented by some of the top students of Jersey City who are members of the National Academy Foundation Magnet Programs. Academy I Middle School is one of the top middle schools in the country. Has been recognized with several achievements, including first place in the Lexus Environmental Challenge in 2008.

Dr. McNair Academic High School was named as a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve, in the 1994–95 school year.Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, Archived December 18, 2006. Accessed November 25, 2009.

Alexander D. Sullivan School was recognized by Governor Jim McGreevey in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award.McGreevey Celebrates Schools that are "Getting it Right": Schools of Excellence Winners Demonstrate Effectiveness of Governor's Education Priorities , New Jersey Department of Education press release dated November 21, 2003. Accessed December 15, 2009.

School uniforms Students have been required to wear school uniforms since 1998.UNIFORM POLICY REMINDER . Liberty Lines. Jersey City Public Schools. Summer 2011. Volume 14, Issue 5. p. 2. Accessed December 9, 2011.

Schools Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsSchool Data for the Jersey City Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2021.) are:Schools and General Information, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. "The Jersey City Public Schools offers a diverse array of schools. We have fourteen (14) Elementary Schools (Pre-K--5), thirteen (13) Grammar Schools (Pre-K-8), four (4) Middle Schools (6-8), six (6) High Schools (9-12), one (1) Secondary School (6-12), one (1) Alternative Program (serving grades 6-12), and three (3) Early Childhood Centers."2020-2021 School/Principals, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021.School Performance Reports for the Jersey City Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed September 1, 2025.New Jersey School Directory for the Jersey City Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.

Early childhood Anthony J. Infante Early Childhood Center Danforth Early Childhood Center Glenn Cunningham Early Childhood Center West Side Avenue Early Childhood Center

Elementary schools

Elementary schools

Elementary schools in the district are:Elementary Schools, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. Frank R. Conwell School P.S. 3Frank R. Conwell School P.S. 3, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (642 students; grades PreK-5) Darren Mischel, principal Jotham W. Wakeman School P.S. 6Jotham W. Wakeman School P.S. 6, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (664; PreK-5) Joseph Apruzzese, principal Charles E. Trefurt School P.S. 8Charles E. Trefurt School P.S. 8, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (755; PreK-5) Marisa Migliozzi, principal Julia A. Barnes School P.S. 12Julia A. Barnes School P.S. 12, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (356; was PreK-8) Don Howard, principal Cornelia F. Bradford School P.S. 16Cornelia F. Bradford School P.S. 16, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (812; PreK-5) Terry Watkins-Williams, principal Dr. Maya Angelou School P.S. 20Dr. Maya Angelou School P.S. 20, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (689; PreK-5) Hani Ileya, principal Rev. Dr. Ercel F. Webb School P.S. 22Rev. Dr. Ercel F. Webb School P.S. 22, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (680; PreK-5) Janine Anderson, principal Nicholas Copernicus School P.S. 25Nicholas Copernicus School P.S. 25, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (669; PreK-5) Diane Pistilli, principal Patricia M. Noonan School P.S. 26Patricia M. Noonan School P.S. 26, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (467; PreK-5) Alan LaMonica, principal Gladys Cannon Nunery School P.S. 29Gladys Cannon Nunery School P.S. 29, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (292; PreK-5) Robert O'Connor, principal Alexander D. Sullivan School P.S. 30Alexander D. Sullivan School P.S. 30, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (577; PreK-5) Martha Osei-Yaw, principal Dr. Paul Rafalides School P.S. 33Dr. Paul Rafalides School P.S. 33, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (438; PreK-4) Janeen Maniscalco, principal Gerard J. Dynes N.J. Regional Day SchoolGerard J. Dynes N.J. Regional Day School, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (73; Ungraded) Colleen Williams, principal

Grammar schools

Grammar schools in the district are:Grammar Schools, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. Dr. Michael Conti School P.S. 5Dr. Michael Conti School P.S. 5, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (721; PreK-8) John Rivero, principal Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School P.S. 11Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School P.S. 11, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (865; PreK-8) Cleopatra Wingard, principal Ollie E. Culbreath Jr. School P.S. 14Ollie E. Culbreath Jr. School P.S. 14, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (442; PreK-8) Sharon Abbruscato, principal Whitney M. Young Jr. School P.S. 15Whitney M. Young Jr. School P.S. 15, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (645; PreK-8) David Herman, principal Joseph H. Brensinger School P.S. 17Joseph H. Brensinger School P.S. 17, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (1,283; PreK-8) Robert Brower, principal Mahatma Gandhi School P.S. 23Mahatma Gandhi School P.S. 23, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (1,363; PreK-8) Peter Mattaliano, principal Chaplain Charles Watters School P.S. 24Chaplain Charles Watters School P.S. 24, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (762; K-8) Rosalyn Barnes, principal Alfred E. Zampella School P.S. 27Alfred E. Zampella School P.S. 27, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (901; PreK-8) Blanca Jackson, principal Christa McAuliffe School P.S. 28Christa McAuliffe School P.S. 28, Jersey City Public Schools. Accessed May 12, 2021. (1,012; PreK-8) Frank Borroto, principal