Schools

Manchester Schools Ranked Above Average NJ Districts

Manchester was in the top 40 percent of NJ districts included in the Niche report.

The Manchester Township School District was in the top 40 percent of those rated in New Jersey.
The Manchester Township School District was in the top 40 percent of those rated in New Jersey. (Google Maps)

MANCHESTER, NJ — The Manchester Township School District has received an overall B grade from data compiler Niche, which looked at school districts across the country leading into the 2019-2020 school year.

Manchester ranked 152th out of 377 school districts rated on the website, according to rankings released Monday as part of the website's 2020 K-12 rankings.

Each New Jersey district received a letter grade in the following categories: Academics; Diversity; Teachers; College Prep; Clubs & Activities; Health & Safety; Administration; Sports; Food; and Resources & Facilities.

Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

To arrive at the rankings, Niche looked at data from the U.S. Department of Education as well as test scores, college data, and ratings collected from Niche users. (You can read more about the methodology here.)

The top-ranked school district in New Jersey is Princeton. Niche gave Princeton an A or an A+ in all categories except for diversity (B+), sports and food (B). Last year, Millburn was number 1.

Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Manchester received the following grades:

  1. Academics B-
  2. Diversity B+
  3. Teachers B-
  4. College Prep B+
  5. Clubs & Activities A-
  6. Health & Safety A-
  7. Administration B
  8. Sports A-
  9. Food A
  10. Resources & Facilities A-

Students shared a range of opinions about the district in reviews on Niche.

"One thing I wish to change is the technique of scheduling for the high school," wrote one student identified as a senior whose entire scholastic career has been in Manchester. "But the teachers are truly great and work to make the students the best they can be. The school district is very safe and if you ever feel unsafe (there are) officers and security guards there always ready to help. The school systems do daily fire drills and lock downs every month. The school district is proud of all their student athletes and their effort. Overall, the Manchester Township School District is not a district that you would regret having your child in!"

"I like how they offer many advanced classes, allowing anyone who wants to put forth the effort to be put on the roster," another senior wrote. "I also like that the school allows the students to paint pictures on the walls because it adds character and personality to the school. If I could change something it would be the lack of school spirit. I believe that high school should be a fun time for students to support one another and at Manchester I do not feel that as a student."

A student who is about to be a senior wrote: "I would just like to say that the past 3 years have been amazing. Not because of the school, but because of the peers and teachers I have met on my high school journey. The school and administration sucks, but the other people are pretty great."

Read more about the Manchester rating here.

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