Bernards Twp. Ranks Among 20 Best School Districts In NJ, New Report Says

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The Bernards Township School District has once again topped the list of best school districts in the state and was ranked among the top 20 school districts in New Jersey, according to Niche’s 2024 Best Schools and Districts.

The rankings released this week place the Bernards Township School District at 16th best in the state and 147 out of 10,932 in America.

Locally, Bernards Township ranks as the best school district in Somerset County. The district also ranks as the best school district for athletes in Somerset County, the 4th best district with the best teachers in Somerset County, and the fifth best district for places to teach in Somerset County.

Bernards Township has 4,735 students and a 13:1 student-teacher ratio, according to Niche.com. According to state test scores, 61 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 73 percent in reading.

Niche gave the Bernards Township School District a letter grade of A+. Grades in specific categories were:

• Academics: A+
• Teachers: A
• Clubs and activities: B+
• Sports: A+
• Resources and facilities: C
• Diversity: B-
• College prep: A+
• Administration: B-
• Food: A-

The Niche.com rankings, which have been out for the past nine years, compare K–12 schools and districts across the United States. The website combines input from current students, alumni and parents with hard data from sources including the U.S. Department of Education.

Niche also ranked 94,058 public schools and 30,809 private schools. The platform said its rankings were created to provide families with valuable information—both quantitative and qualitative—on schools in their area or in a neighborhood they’re not familiar with yet.

Click here to see the full list of New Jersey's highest-ranking districts.

— With reporting from Michelle Rotuno-Johnson, Patch Staff