Report Card: Par Hills' Performance 'Average,' Par High's 'Lagging'

Parsippany Hills High School's level of academic performance in the 2011-12 school year was "about average" when compared with other high schools in the state and in comparison to schools in its peer group according to new data released by the New Jersey Department of Education. Meanwhile, the same report shows Parsippany High School was "lagging" in similar comparisons.

Both schools did, however, meet 100 percent of their targets for academic achievement and for graduation and post-secondary readiness.

The data, which includes a new peer-to-peer comparison format, was released by the state on Wednesday. The new NJ School Performance Reports not only compare districts and schools to others in the state, but also to "peer" districts with students of similar demographic characteristics, such as the percentage of students who are in special education programs, limited English proficiency programs or who qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The High and the Hills are in different peer groups: PHHS peers include Madison High School, Morris Knolls High School, North Warren Regional High School and Randolph High School; PHS is grouped with Boonton High School, Morris Hills High School, Morristown High School, Old Bridge High School and Passaic Valley High School.

"The new School Performance Reports are designed to enhance both educator and stakeholder engagement in discussions about how well a school is preparing their students for college and careers," the state said in an introduction of the data.

The results show PHHS as having an "about average" level of college and career readiness, with the school outperforming about 70 percent of schools in the state and 49 percent of schools in the peer group in the category.

In the area of academic achievement, the Hills is outperforming 26 percent of peer group schools and 51 percent of schools statewide.

For the High, the report showed the school bested the Hills by just reaching the "high" level of college and career readiness. PHS outperformed about 60 percent of schools in the state and 63 percent of schools in the peer group in the category. ["High" achievement is granted to schools between the 60th and 79.9th percentiles; "average" covers percentiles 40 through 59.9.] 

In academic achievement, Parsippany High is outperforming 17 percent of schools in the its peer group and 37 percent across New Jersey.

Parsippany Hills came up short in meeting all of its targets in relation to college preparedness: 52 percent of students took the PSAT exam in 2011-12—the goal was to reach 60 percent. The school had a higher participation in the PSAT than only 27 percent of its peer group and 50 percent across the state.

But PHHS did meet its target for its percentage of students who took the SAT (85 percent, versus 80 percent statewide), for the 61 percent of its students who scored a 1,550 or above on the SAT (putting PHHS in the 82nd percentile in New Jersey), and for its percentage of students who took the AP exam and scored a 3 or greater (86 percent). The average composite SAT score at the Hills was 1,621 whereas the peer average was 1,622.

Parsippany Hills' overall graduation rate, according to the data, is 96.7 percent. PHHS' dropout rate is 0.3 percent.

The High also missed meeting its college preparedness targets. Only 43 percent of its students took the PSAT, despite the school's goal of 60 percent participation, putting it in the 37th percentile of its peers and 38th across the state. And only 19 percent of PHS students took at least one advanced placement test in English, Math, Social Studies or Science, placing it in the 57th percentile of its peers and 38th statewide.

PHS made its targets with the 82 percent of its students who took the SAT, the 45 percent who scored 1,550 or more on that exam (putting the High in the 63rd percentile statewide and 80th among peers), and for the 89 percent who took an AP exam and scored 3 or higher. At Parsippany, the average composite SAT score was  1,572, 50 points lower than the peer average.

Patch reached out to Parsippany Superintendent of Schools LeRoy Seitz for comment on the report cards, but he was not available.

See how Parsippany's elementary and middle schools fared on the 2013 School Report Cards:

• Report Card: Northvail Elementary Earns Best Marks in Parsippany
• Report Card: Both Middle Schools Score 'High' Academically