Approximately 40% of public elementary school students in New Jersey are eligible for free lunch (2026).
The public elementary schools with the highest eligible for free lunch are listed below (where sufficient data available).
The public elementary school with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in New Jersey is Daniel F. Ryan Elementary School No. 19, Passaic Gifted And Talented Academy School No. 20, and Passaic Preparatory Academy, among others each with 100% of students eligible.
Eligible for Free Lunch Range: 88%
100%
Avg. Eligible for Free Lunch: 93%
Public Elementary Schools Eligible For Free Lunch in New Jersey (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Eligible for Free Lunch
Grades
Location
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Daniel F. Ryan Elementary School No. 19
(Math: 16% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 1-8
320 Highland Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 779-4219
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 779-4219
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Ellen Ochoa School Number 22
(Math: 10%)
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 4-6
95 Dayton Ave
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Passaic Academy For Science And Engineering
(Math: 32% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 6-12
291 Lafayette Avenue
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Passaic Gifted And Talented Academy School No. 20
(Math: 38% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 2-8
19 Henry Street
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Passaic Preparatory Academy
(Math: 13% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 6-12
252 Boulevard
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Sonia Sotomayor School #21
(Math: 9% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: K-8
225 Madison Street
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
Theodore Roosevelt School No. 10
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: K-6
151 Harrison St.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5510
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5510
Rank: #1 - 81. - 8.
William B. Cruise Memorial School No. 11
(Math: 5% | Reading: 19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: K-8
390 Gregory Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5511
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5511
Rank: #9 - 119. - 11.
Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25
(Math: 6-9%)
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: K-3
64 Parker Ave
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5500
Rank: #9 - 119. - 11.
Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 6
(Math: 7% | Reading: 16%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: PK-8
85 Hamilton Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5506
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5506
Rank: #9 - 119. - 11.
New Horizons Community Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 22%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 99%
Grades: K-8
45 59 Hayes Street
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 848-0400
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 848-0400
Rank: #12 - 1312. - 13.
Mario Drago School No. 3
(Math: 12% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 98%
Grades: PK-8
155 Van Houten Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5503
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5503
Rank: #12 - 1312. - 13.
Thomas Jefferson School No. 1
(Math: 16% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 98%
Grades: K-8
390 Van Houten Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5501
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5501
Rank: #1414.
Hope Academy
Alternative School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 95%
Grades: 6-12
266 Harrison Street
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 928-1509
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 928-1509
Rank: #15 - 1615. - 16.
Cherry Street School
(Math: 4% | Reading: 11%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 94%
Grades: K-8
11 Cherry Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Rank: #15 - 1615. - 16.
Kipp Cooper Norcross A New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
(Math: 12% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 94%
Grades: K-12
525 Clinton Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Rank: #1717.
Community Charter School Of Paterson
Charter School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 22%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 92%
Grades: K-8
75 Spruce St
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 413-2057
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 413-2057
Rank: #18 - 1918. - 19.
Lord Stirling Community School
(Math: 14% | Reading: 23%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 91%
Grades: PK-5
101 Redmond Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5300
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5300
Rank: #18 - 1918. - 19.
School 3
(Math: 8% | Reading: 16%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 91%
Grades: K-8
448 Main Street
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-0030
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-0030
Rank: #20 - 2220. - 22.
Dr. E. Alma Flagg School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 17%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 90%
Grades: PK-8
150 Third St
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 268-5190
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 268-5190
Rank: #20 - 2220. - 22.
International Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 20-29% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 90%
Grades: K-5
105 Grand Street
Trenton, NJ 08611
(609) 394-3111
Trenton, NJ 08611
(609) 394-3111
Rank: #20 - 2220. - 22.
New York Avenue School
(Math: 3% | Reading: 8%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 90%
Grades: PK-8
411 N New York Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7280
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7280
Rank: #23 - 2623. - 26.
Broad Street School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 13%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: K-8
251 West Broad Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Rank: #23 - 2623. - 26.
Camden Prep Inc.
(Math: 18% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: K-12
1575 Mt. Ephraim Ave
Camden, NJ 08104
(856) 379-4488
Camden, NJ 08104
(856) 379-4488
Rank: #23 - 2623. - 26.
Mastery Schools Of Camden Inc.
(Math: 10% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: K-12
1001 North 17th Street
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 726-0027
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 726-0027
Rank: #23 - 2623. - 26.
Paul Robeson Charter School For The Humanities
Charter School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: K-8
643 Indiana Ave
Trenton, NJ 08638
(609) 394-7727
Trenton, NJ 08638
(609) 394-7727
Rank: #27 - 3627. - 36.
Atlantic Community Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: K-8
112 South New York Rd
Absecon, NJ 08205
(609) 428-4300
Absecon, NJ 08205
(609) 428-4300
Rank: #27 - 3627. - 36.
Hope Community Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 15-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: K-8
836 S. 4th Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
(856) 379-3448
Blackwood, NJ 08012
(856) 379-3448
Rank: #27 - 3627. - 36.
Indian Ave School
(Math: 10% | Reading: 16%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: K-8
399 Indian Avenue
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Rank: #27 - 3627. - 36.
Quarter Mile Lane School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 9%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: PK-8
300 Quarter Mile Lane
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Rank: #27 - 3627. - 36.
Roosevelt Elementary School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 10%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: K-5
83 Livingston Ave
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5300
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5300
Rank: #27 - 3627. - 36.
South 17th Street School
(Math: 16% | Reading: 20%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: PK-8
619 S Seventeenth St
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 374-2570
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 374-2570
Rank: #27 - 3627. - 36.
Texas Avenue School
(Math: 18% | Reading: 22%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: K-8
2523 Arctic Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7350
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7350
Rank: #27 - 3627. - 36.
Uptown School Complex
(Math: 9% | Reading: 9%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: PK-8
323 Madison Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 344-8809
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 344-8809
Rank: #27 - 3627. - 36.
West Avenue School
(Math: 9% | Reading: 18%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: K-8
51 North West Avenue
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Show 100 more public schools in NJ (out of 1,879 total schools)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the New Jersey average of public elementary schools students eligible for free lunch?
The New Jersey average of public elementary schools students eligible for free lunch is 40%% for 2026.
What are the public elementary schools with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in New Jersey?
The best top-ranked public elementary schools in New Jersey include Daniel F. Ryan Elementary School No. 19, Ellen Ochoa School Number 22 and Passaic Academy For Science And Engineering.
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