What The Clifton Public Schools does

The Clifton Public Schools is a public K-12 school district operated by the Clifton Board of Education, serving the City of Clifton in Passaic County, New Jersey. The district operates 21 schools: one high school (Clifton High School), three middle schools (Christopher Columbus, Maple Valley, Woodrow Wilson), seventeen elementary schools (School 1 through School 17), and the Clifton Early Learner Academy (CELA) for preschool. The district provides free public education to resident students from preschool through twelfth grade, funded primarily through New Jersey state aid, local property taxes, and federal grants; there is no tuition or pricing for educational services.

The district's technology stack is a conventional EdTech portfolio assembled via procurement, including Google Workspace for Education and Google Classroom for core academic delivery, ParentSquare for family communications, Imagine Edgenuity and Imagine Math for online learning and credit recovery, Savvas EasyBridge for curriculum, Naviance for college and career planning, LinkIt for assessments, Follett Destiny for library management, PBIS Rewards for behavior support, Ellevation for ESL compliance, Eduphoria for IT helpdesk, FMX for facilities, UKG Ready for HR/payroll, and Frontline Education for absence management. The district operates a dedicated website (clifton.k12.nj.us) and has achieved WCAG 2.0 Level AA accessibility compliance under Section 504 and Title II.

Academically, the district offers Advanced Placement coursework across 18 subjects, dual enrollment and concurrent enrollment programs through six higher education partners (Bergen Community College, Passaic County Community College, Montclair State University, William Paterson University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and Berkeley College), and Early College programs enabling students to earn Associate's degrees. Specialized programs include Talented and Gifted (TAG), Automotive Technologies, Marine Corps JROTC, Mustang Academy (freshman transition), the MidSchool and I.S.E.E. summer programs, athletics, and the Teen Center school-based youth services program. The district is governed by an elected Board of Education with day-to-day operations managed by the Superintendent; procurement is handled by the Assistant Superintendent for Business per N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-2.

Name

The Clifton Public Schools

Legal name

Clifton Public Schools

Website

https://clifton.k12.nj.us

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Clifton Public Schools is a New Jersey K-12 public school district operating 21 schools — one high school, three middle schools, seventeen elementary schools, and an early learner academy — serving resident students of Clifton with AP coursework, dual enrollment, and CTE pathways.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC), Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD), Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• Preschool programs
• College credit programs
• Special education services
• Student athletics programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Clifton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Clifton Public Schools is a public K-12 school district providing free pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education to residents of Clifton, New Jersey. The district operates 21 schools comprising an early learner academy, 17 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 1 high school, delivering core academic instruction, Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment and early college programs with multiple universities, special education, bilingual/ESL services, athletics, and career-technical pathways such as Automotive Technologies and Marine Corps JROTC.

Product overview

The Clifton Public Schools is a public K-12 school district in Clifton, New Jersey operating one high school, three middle schools, twelve elementary schools, and one early learner academy. The district offers a comprehensive educational portfolio including core academic programs, specialized academies (Automotive Technologies, MCJROTC), gifted and talented programs (TAG), college credit options (AP, dual enrollment with PCCC, Bergen CC, Montclair State, William Paterson, Berkeley College, FDU), and career-focused pathways. The district also provides extensive student support services including counseling, athletics, after-school clubs, summer enrichment programs, and a Teen Center for school-based youth services. Technology integration includes ParentSquare for family communication, multiple learning management and curriculum platforms (Imagine Edgenuity, Savvas EasyBridge, Naviance for college/career readiness), assessment systems (LinkIt), library management (Follett Destiny), behavior support (PBSIS Rewards), HR/payroll (UKG Ready), facilities management (FMX), and tech support (Eduphoria).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clifton Early Learner Academy (CELA) Preschool program providing early literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development for children ages 3-5 in the Clifton district.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Coursework College-level AP courses offered across 18 subjects including AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Calculus, Statistics, Computer Science, English, History, and World Languages, designed for high school students seeking college-level coursework.
• College Credit Options (Dual/Concurrent Enrollment) Dual and concurrent enrollment programs enabling high school students to earn college credits through partnerships with Passaic County Community College, Bergen Community College, Montclair State University, William Paterson University, Berkeley College, and Fairleigh Dickinson University, including concurrent courses, dual enrollment, and early college Associate's degree pathways.
• SAMS Program (Students at Montclair State) Pre-college program allowing qualified juniors and seniors to take Montclair State University courses for transferable college credits at a discounted rate.
• Marine Corps Junior ROTC (MCJROTC) Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program offered at Clifton High School providing leadership and military education curriculum.
• Automotive Technologies Program Career and technical education program in automotive technology for high school students seeking trade skills and certifications.
• Talented and Gifted (TAG) Programs Academic enrichment programs including Talented and Gifted (TAG) and Art TAG for eligible students requiring advanced curriculum.
• High School Academies Specialized academy programs at Clifton High School offering focused areas of study including the Mustang Academy (Freshman Academy) for ninth-grade transition.
• Integrated Summer Enrichment Experience (I.S.E.E.) Summer enrichment program offering academic and enrichment experiences for district students during the summer break.
• Teen Center (School-Based Youth Services Program) School-based youth services program providing counseling, support, and resources to high school students.
• Athletics Program Comprehensive athletic program offering fall, winter, and spring sports at high school and middle school levels across the district.
• Clifton Education Foundation Non-profit foundation supporting educational initiatives and programs in the district through fundraising and community partnerships.
• Therapy Dog Initiative Animal-assisted intervention program using therapy dogs to support student wellness and social-emotional development.
• Bilingual / ESL Program Bilingual and ESL instructional services for English Language Learners using the Ellevation platform for program management and compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students can earn Associate's degrees through Bergen Community College or Passaic County Community College early college programs while completing high school
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bergen Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly College Program partnership allowing qualified juniors to earn an Associate's degree while attending high school. Students spend half their day at Clifton High School and the remainder at BCC's Lyndhurst campus. Requires 85 cumulative GPA and passing Accuplacer tests.
• Passaic County Community College (PCCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple programs including Concurrent courses (taught at CHS), Dual Enrollment courses (taught by college professors at CHS), and Early College program allowing qualifying juniors to earn an Associate's degree while completing high school.
• Montclair State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAMS (Students at Montclair State) program for qualified juniors and seniors to complement high school study with MSU coursework, earning transferable college credits at a discounted rate.
• William Paterson UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner24-Credit Program enabling qualifying high school seniors to earn college credits while completing high school requirements. Students can attend WPU campus and complete first year of college at a discounted rate.
• Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiddle College program giving college-bound juniors and seniors in advanced and honors Spanish, French & Italian courses the opportunity to experience university-style learning before graduating high school.
• Berkeley CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege Level Accounting course (Financial Accounting I) taught by master's level CHS teacher with curriculum set by Berkeley College, earning 3 transferable credits.
• Clifton Education FoundationminorOthersNon-profit education foundation that supports the district through fundraising and community partnerships to enhance educational opportunities.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Newark Public Schools: New Jersey's largest public school district, operating a similar traditional K-12 model with comprehensive programs including college credit, CTE, ESL, and athletics. Comparable as a peer on operating model and urban district dynamics, though materially larger in scale.
• Passaic City School District: Adjacent New Jersey public school district serving a comparable urban, diverse community in Passaic County. Offers a similar K-12 portfolio and serves as the closest functional peer given shared geography, demographics, and state funding environment.
• East Orange School District: New Jersey urban public school district with similar demographic and ELL population profile. Comparable on traditional K-12 operating model, special services, and ESL program delivery at similar scale.
• Paterson Public Schools: Larger New Jersey public school district serving Paterson, also in Passaic County. Operates a similar multi-school K-12 model with significant ELL populations and comparable urban demographic profile, making it directly comparable on scale and program breadth.
• Montclair Public Schools: Suburban New Jersey public school district that is one of Clifton's named university partners (via the Montclair State University SAMS program). Operates a comparable comprehensive K-12 model and represents a peer benchmark for college-credit pathway development.
• Bloomfield Public Schools: Northern New Jersey public school district operating a K-12 model of broadly similar scale and demographic profile. Functions as a like-for-like peer for benchmarking per-pupil outcomes, programming, and operational practices in NJ.
• Wayne Township Public Schools: Suburban Passaic County public school district operating a similar K-12 model with comparable AP and athletics offerings. Provides a suburban benchmark against which Clifton's urban district performance and programming can be assessed.

Others

• LearnWell Education: Education support services organization that provides alternative and supplementary educational programming to school districts and students. Comparable as an ecosystem participant serving similar K-12 populations rather than as a direct district competitor.
• EdisonLearning: Private education management and services company that partners with public school districts to operate schools and provide instructional and operational services. Comparable as an adjacent service provider to traditional K-12 public districts like Clifton, rather than as a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• KIPP New Jersey: Charter school network operating in New Jersey that competes with traditional public districts — including Clifton — for the same student pool under NJ's public school choice and charter frameworks. Comparable on K-8 (and selective K-12) instructional offerings but operates under a charter governance model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights2 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CliftonPublicSchools

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries19 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 The Clifton Public Schools