Union City Public Schools

What Union City Public Schools does

Union City Public Schools is a comprehensive public K-12 school district governed by an elected Board of Education, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade across Union City, New Jersey — the most densely populated city in the state with 67,088 residents. The district operates 16 schools spanning elementary, middle, high school, early childhood, and adult learning, including the specialty José Martí STEM Academy, Sara M. Gilmore Academy, and the D.A.L.E. program for high-achieving multilingual students. It employs more than 1,500 people, making it the largest employer in the city, and serves a population that is 94.5% Latino/a with 59% of residents foreign-born, requiring extensive bilingual and ESL programming.

The district's technology stack consists entirely of third-party educational SaaS platforms: PowerSchool for student information management, Schoology for learning management, ClassLink for single sign-on, Edlio for website/email communications, Nutrislice for food menus, and Zoom for virtual meetings. It does not operate any disclosed proprietary AI/ML systems, mobile applications, or APIs. The district also runs UC-TV and Eagle Vision Media for student media production and maintains a dedicated educational technology leadership role.

Revenue is generated entirely through government channels — New Jersey state aid, local property taxes, and federal grants including Title I, American Rescue Plan, and the 21st CCLC grant — with no tuition or enrollment fees charged to resident families. Food services are delivered through a contractual partnership with Chartwells. The district's go-to-market is effectively zero-cost, mandatory enrollment of resident children within the statutory attendance zone, with brand reputation, program quality (rankings, awards), and community partnerships functioning as the equivalent of customer acquisition in a private-sector context.

Name

Union City Public Schools

Legal name

Union City Public Schools

Website

https://ucboe.us

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Union City Public Schools is a government K-12 district operating 16 schools across Union City, NJ — the state's most densely populated city — serving preK-12 students with more than 1,500 employees and government funding from state aid, local taxes, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA), Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD), Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• STEM academy programs
• Bilingual education services
• Community school district
• Early childhood education

Headquarters

HQ city

Union City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: As a public school district, Union City Public Schools operates primarily through government funding including state aid, local property taxes, and federal grants including Title I, American Rescue Plan, and 21st CCLC Grant.
2. Food Services: Chartwells provides nutrition services to students through federal school meal programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Union City Public Schools is a comprehensive K-12 public school district that operates 16 schools to deliver free pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education to resident students of Union City, New Jersey. Its offerings span general academics, specialized STEM curricula through the José Martí STEM Academy, bilingual and ESL programs, special education, early childhood education, visual and performing arts, athletics, and professional development for staff. Funding flows from state aid, local property taxes, and federal grants, with school meal services provided via Chartwells.

Product overview

Union City Public Schools is a comprehensive public school district operating as a unified platform of educational institutions. The district encompasses 16 individual schools including Union City High School, the specialized José Martí STEM Academy (ranked #5 in NJ), Sara M. Gilmore Academy, Esther Salas Academy, Adult Learning Center, multiple elementary schools (K-5), and middle schools (6-8). The district offers a portfolio of educational services including professional development programs, the D.A.L.E. gifted multilingual program, 21st CCLC extended learning programs, and early childhood education. All schools are managed through integrated systems including PowerSchool for student information, Schoology for learning management, and ClassLink for single sign-on access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Union City High School The district's main high school serving students in grades 9-12 with comprehensive academic programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities including HOSA, Mock Trial, and Visual & Performing Arts programs.
• José Martí STEM Academy A specialized STEM-focused high school academy ranked #5 in New Jersey, offering advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs with specialized curriculum, mentorship, and the NEHS-affiliated National English Honor Society program.
• Sara M. Gilmore Academy A preK-8 school ranked 9th best public elementary school and 14th best public middle school in New Jersey, formerly Woodrow Wilson School and recipient of the 2014 National Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education.
• Esther Salas Academy A district school serving students with specialized programs including the D.A.L.E. (Discover, Aspire, Lead, Explore) program for high-achieving multilingual students in grades 5-8.
• Adult Learning Center Provides adult education opportunities for Union City community members, including continuing education and workforce-related adult learning programming.
• Eugenio Maria Hostos Center for Early Childhood Education Early childhood education center serving preK students with developmentally appropriate programs administered by the Director of Early Childhood Programs.
• Elementary Schools (Colin Powell, George Washington, Henry Hudson, Robert Waters, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas A. Edison, Veterans' Memorial) A network of K-5 elementary schools serving foundational academic instruction and enrichment across Union City neighborhoods, each with dedicated school leadership and bilingual/ESL supports where needed.
• Middle Schools (Emerson, Union Hill) District middle schools serving grades 6-8 with comprehensive academic programs, with Union Hill Middle School recognized with the Blue Ribbon Lighthouse Award from Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence.
• D.A.L.E. Program (Discover, Aspire, Lead, Explore) A specialized gifted and talented program for high-achieving multilingual students in grades 5-8 housed at Esther Salas Academy, designed to foster academic promise, leadership, and passion for learning.
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Programs After-school and summer extended learning programs funded through the federal 21st CCLC grant, providing academic enrichment and recreational activities for students.
• District Professional Development Programs District-wide professional development programs for staff including the District Professional Development Academy, mentoring program, summer institute, new teacher orientation, Super Saturday training, tuition reimbursement, and STEM Design Thinking workshops through Liberty Science Center partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• José Martí STEM Academy ranked #5 public high school in New Jersey (NJ.com 2024-2025 School Performance Reports)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Partners in Prevention and Harm Reduction ServicesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 June 2026Collaboration with City of Union City and Union City Board of Education to provide addiction awareness information to families.
• Cedar Stars AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026Collaboration on the 2026 Union City Soccer Festival held at the Midtown Athletic Complex at José Martí STEM Academy. The partnership involves youth soccer competitions between Union City Soccer Club and Cedar Stars Academy along Summit Avenue.
• Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New JerseyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 May 2026Co-organizer of the 2026 Union City Soccer Festival with Mayor Brian Stack and Union City Board of Education.
• TOHO InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Provided support, encouragement and permission for Union City students to learn about the film industry through Godzilla IP for the district's first-ever immersive Visual & Media Arts exhibit.
• NHCACminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 April 2026Partner in organizing the April 2026 Job Fair at Union City High School, which featured over 35 companies recruiting across various industries.
• Hudson County Schools of Technology Community Resource CenterminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 April 2026Partner in organizing the April 2026 Job Fair at Union City High School.
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration ServicesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 April 2026Free Citizenship Workshop hosted by Union City BOE and Mayor Brian Stack to assist residents with U.S. citizenship applications.
• ChartwellscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 4 February 2026Food services provider for Union City School District nutrition programs, serving happy and healthy meals throughout the district and producing seasonal newsletters.
• National English Honor Society (NEHS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025José Martí STEM Academy students and teacher awarded prestigious NEHS Convention Presentation Award.
• Liberty Science CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2018Ongoing partnership for STEM professional development for teachers, including Design Thinking workshops and STEM Showcase competitions for students.
• Union City Fire DepartmentminorOthersCollaboration on community safety initiatives including fire victim assistance and winter storm preparedness communications.
• Union City Police DepartmentcoreOthersOngoing partnership for school safety, weather alerts, community policing including School Resource Officers program, and opioid overdose prevention (Narcan kits at schools).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Elizabeth Public Schools: Mid-size New Jersey urban district serving a diverse, largely immigrant population with comprehensive bilingual programming — closely comparable in size, demographics, and program structure.
• Jersey City Public Schools: Neighboring Hudson County, NJ public school district of comparable urban, diverse scale. Operates similarly structured K-12 schools with bilingual programs and comparable demographic mix — making it the closest direct operational peer.
• Newark Public Schools: Large New Jersey urban school district serving a high-poverty, predominantly minority student population with bilingual/ESL programming and STEM initiatives — directly comparable in mission, demographics, and funding model.
• West New York School District: Adjacent Hudson County district serving a similarly dense, predominantly Latino/a and immigrant community. Comparable in size, demographics, bilingual demand, and reliance on state aid.
• Paterson Public Schools: Another New Jersey urban district with high ELL populations and bilingual education infrastructure. Comparable scale and mission in serving dense, diverse, immigrant-heavy communities.
• Hoboken Public Schools: Adjacent Hudson County district serving a densely populated, increasingly diverse community. Smaller in scale but operates with similar urban-district challenges around facilities, bilingual services, and property-tax-funded budgets.

Broad incumbents

• New York City Department of Education: The largest U.S. public school system with extensive bilingual, STEM, and specialized academies across all five boroughs. Overlaps with Union City in serving dense, immigrant-heavy communities but operates at vastly greater scale.
• Chicago Public Schools: Large urban school district with comparable programs in bilingual education, STEM academies, and specialized schools. Sits at much greater scale but addresses the same urban-district operating challenges.
• Boston Public Schools: Northeastern urban district with strong bilingual/ESL programming and magnet school structure (similar to José Martí STEM Academy model). Operates at similar urban-district scale but with broader geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Edison Township Public Schools: Large New Jersey district with notable STEM and bilingual programming, but serving a more suburban and ethnically diverse population rather than the dense urban core Union City represents.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/schools_uc
• Facebookfacebook.com/Union-City-Schools-452769185296129
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucschools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles30 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Union City Public Schools