Unpacking New Jersey’s Latest School Rankings: What Parents Need to Know

Every year, parents across New Jersey eagerly await the release of the state’s school performance reports. These rankings provide a snapshot of how schools are performing based on key metrics. The latest rankings for the 2023-24 school year, released by the New Jersey Department of Education, are now available, offering valuable insights for parents, educators, and policymakers.

Key Findings from the Rankings

The New Jersey Department of Education has evaluated nearly 2,500 public schools, assigning each a score on a scale from 0 to 100. These scores are determined by a combination of factors:

• Standardized Test Scores: Assessing student proficiency in core subjects like math, reading, and science.
• Academic Growth: Measuring how much students improve academically over time.
• Graduation Rates: For high schools, this reflects the percentage of students graduating on time.
• Chronic Absenteeism: The share of students missing a significant number of school days.

While these metrics offer a broad view of school performance, they don’t tell the whole story. Elements like school culture, extracurricular offerings, and teacher quality aren’t directly reflected in the rankings but are equally important to a school’s overall environment.

How to Access the Rankings

Parents can check their school’s rating by visiting the New Jersey School Performance Report page. Simply enter your school’s name to access either a summary report or a detailed breakdown for more in-depth data.

State-Level Insights

The rankings also include statewide data that sheds light on broader trends in New Jersey’s education system. Here’s a quick look at some key statistics:

These figures highlight New Jersey’s strengths, such as its leadership in Advanced Placement (AP) opportunities, alongside challenges like rising absenteeism and declining SAT scores. While the state’s absenteeism rate remains among the lowest nationally, the drop in SAT performance—despite still exceeding the national average of 1,024—signals potential gaps in college readiness.

What This Means for Parents

For parents, these rankings are a helpful starting point for comparing schools and gauging where their child’s school stands. However, they’re just one piece of the puzzle. A school’s culture, extracurricular programs, and alignment with your child’s unique needs are critical factors that numbers alone can’t capture.

If you’re worried about your school’s score or curious about other options, reach out to school administrators or attend a parent-teacher conference to gain a deeper understanding of what’s happening behind the scenes.

Looking Ahead

As New Jersey continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic, these rankings serve as a benchmark for tracking progress and pinpointing areas for improvement. The state’s strong AP performance and relatively low absenteeism provide a solid foundation, but addressing the SAT score decline and ensuring equitable access to quality education remain pressing priorities.

Feel free to schedule a call with me for further assistance in understanding these rankings or discussing your child’s educational options.

This blog post is based on the article “N.J.’s new public school rankings are out. See how your school scored,” published by NJ.com on April 7, 2025.