Central Jumps 326 Spots in 'Newsweek' High School Rankings

As students and faculty head into the new year at West Morris Central High School, there’s plenty of reason to be proud of the community they’re in, considering all the accolades from the summer months.

First, West Morris Central was named by New Jersey Monthly magazine as the No. 11 public high school in the state, a huge jump from that publication’s last ranking in 2012, when the school came in at No. 56.

Now, Central is being spotlighted on a national scale, as Newsweek’s annual rankings show the Washington Township-based high school as one of the best in the country.

Ranked No. 535 in the same list last year, Central is now No. 209 out of more than 700 of the country’s top public, private, charter, and magnet schools.

Newsweek’s methodology was slightly different than New Jersey Monthly’s, using six indicators for its ranking methodology, its Daily Beast website said, including graduation and college acceptance rates; college-level courses and exams; percentage of students with free or reduced lunch; and SAT and ACT scores.

According to the school’s ranking, Central had a 96.3-percent graduation rate; 96-percent of its students were headed to college; and one-percent received free or reduced lunch. The average student’s SAT and ACT scores were 1655 and 24.4, respectively, the report said, and 32.2-percent of the student body was enrolled in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes.

The first day of school at West Morris Central is Thursday, Sept. 4.