Whitney M. Young Jr. School

ps15.jcboe.org

655 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Whitney M. Young Jr. School (PS #15) is a public elementary school located in the Greenville neighborhood of Jersey City, New Jersey. Serving a diverse student population, the school is part of the Jersey City Public Schools district and is dedicated to fostering a supportive learning environment that emphasizes academic growth, social-emotional development, and community engagement. The school is named in honor of Whitney M. Young Jr., a prominent civil rights leader, and it reflects a commitment to providing equitable educational opportunities for all students.

The school’s curriculum is designed to meet the rigorous New Jersey Student Learning Standards while integrating modern educational tools to prepare students for future academic success. Beyond the classroom, PS #15 is known for its focus on cultivating a positive school climate, often involving parents and community members in school activities to build a collaborative network. With a strong emphasis on literacy, mathematics, and character education, the school strives to empower its students to become informed, responsible, and active citizens within their community.

655

Total Students

59.5

Full-Time Teachers

11.0

Student/Teacher Ratio

82.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Whitney M. Young Jr. School
Demographic	Student Count
White	32
Hispanic	203
Black	392
Asian	13
Two or More	8
American Indian	3
Pacific Islander	4

Black
392 (59.8 %)
Hispanic
203 (31.0 %)
White
32 (4.9 %)
Asian
13 (2.0 %)
Two or More
8 (1.2 %)
Pacific Islander
4 (0.6 %)
American Indian
3 (0.5 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Jersey City Public Schools
Phone:	(201)915-6440
Website:	http://ps15.jcboe.org
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	655
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	59.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.0
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	528
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	12

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 84

Kindergarten 68

Grade 1 69

Grade 2 65

Grade 3 52

Grade 4 38

Grade 5 75

Grade 6 51

Grade 7 36

Grade 8 48

Ungraded 69