The school was the 266th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. The school had been ranked 207th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 256th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 226th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 189th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
Academic programs
North Plainfield High School offers a comprehensive program of studies. 81% of the class of 2005 entered college or other post-secondary education, 13% sought employment, and 6% pursued other options. The array of classes at Advanced Placement, high ability, college preparatory, and general levels includes opportunities for independent study, a shared-time vocational program with Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School, courses in conjunction with Satellite Education Resource Consortium, and courses offered through a Tech-Prep partnership developed with Raritan Valley Community College. Courses in AP Calculus and AP Physics, Probability and Statistics, and Latin have also been offered either through other school districts in the Interactive Television classroom or through the Florida Virtual Academy, an internet-based resource. A state-of-the-art Computer Assisted Drafting Lab, networked computer lab, and a comprehensive physical education facility opened in 1990-1991.
Athletics
The North Plainfield High School Canucks have competed since 2005 in the Raritan Division of the Skyland Conference, which operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. With 740 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2015-16 school year as Central Jersey, Group II for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 498 to 750 students in that grade range. The school had competed in the Mountain Valley Conference prior to the 2009 reorganization. North Plainfield's football team won the 2008 Skyland Conference Raritan Division Championship. In 2011 North Plainfield's Canucks went undefeated during the regular season achieving the record of 9-0. They won the Skyland conference and entered the conference playoffs as the number 1 seed and secured home field advantage for the remainder of the playoffs. The North Plainfield Canucks played the #8 seed Carteret High School Ramblers, losing by a score of 27-21. The 2011 Canucks were the 3rd football team in Canuck history to ever achieve the record of 9-0 during the regular season. North Plainfield's soccer team won three Group II Conference Championships from 1986, 1987 and 1988. The team finished those seasons ranked as one of the top teams in the state outscoring opponents. The North Plainfield baseball team won the Cental Jersey Group II state title in 1996 with a win over Ridge High School, earning the first title in school history. In 2010, the boys' soccer team won the Central Jersey, Group II title after defeating Delaware Valley Regional High School 2-1.
