Dr. Paul Rafalides School

ps33.jcboe.org

318 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 4th

School Overview

Dr. Paul Rafalides School (P.S. 33) is a public elementary school located in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood of Jersey City, New Jersey. Serving students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, the school is part of the Jersey City Public Schools district. It is named in honor of Dr. Paul Rafalides, a former educator and community leader, and it functions as a foundational neighborhood hub committed to providing academic instruction within a supportive environment.

The school is characterized by its focus on fostering a diverse and inclusive learning community typical of the urban Jersey City school system. Like many schools in the district, P.S. 33 emphasizes core curriculum subjects while working to address the specific social and educational needs of its student population. The school benefits from its location in a residential area, often serving as a central point for local families and participating in district-wide initiatives aimed at improving student literacy, mathematical proficiency, and overall school culture.

318

Total Students

28.5

Full-Time Teachers

11.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

76.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Dr. Paul Rafalides School
Demographic	Student Count
White	85
Hispanic	91
Black	73
Asian	49
Two or More	11
Pacific Islander	9

Hispanic
91 (28.6%)
White
85 (26.7%)
Black
73 (23.0%)
Asian
49 (15.4%)
Two or More
11 (3.5%)
Pacific Islander
9 (2.8%)

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)915-6540
Website:	http://ps33.jcboe.org
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 4th
Total Students:	318
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	28.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	234
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	9

* 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 45

Kindergarten 45

Grade 1 53

Grade 2 62

Grade 3 55

Grade 4 58