NJ Boasts 2 Of The Top 20 Public Schools In The U.S.: Report

NEW JERSEY — Two Garden State public schools rank among the top 20 districts in the country, according to the latest ranking by data compiler Niche.

Niche released its 2022 Best Schools and Districts Ranking on Monday. The K-12 school rankings include updated data for 94,491 public schools, 2,489 private schools, and 11,846 school districts nationwide.

Millburn Township School District and Northern Valley Regional High School District were ranked 15th and 18th nationally. Both received an overall grade of A+. Two Illinois school districts took the top two spots, with a New York school rounding off the top three.

Here are the top 2o school districts in the country:

1. Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125, Lincolnshire, IL
2. Glenbrook High Schools District 225, Glenview, IL
3. Great Neck Public Schools, Great Neck, NY
4. Community High School District 128, Vernon Hills, IL
5. Jericho Union Free School District, Jericho, NY
6. New Trier Township High School District No. 203, Northfield, IL
7. Roslyn Union Free School District, Roslyn, NY
8. Scarsdale Union Free School District, Scarsdale, NY
9. Syosset Central School District, Syosset, NY
10. Township High School District No. 113, Highland Park, IL
11. Eanes Independent School District, Austin, TX
12. Radnor Township School District, Wayne, PA
13. Tredyffrin-Easttown School District, Wayne, PA
14. West Lafayette Community School Corporation, West Lafayette, IL
15. Millburn Township School District, Millburn, NJ
16. Ladue School District, St Louis, MO
17. School District of Clayton, Clayton, MO
18. Northern Valley Regional High School District, Demarest, NJ
19. Manhasset Union Free School District, Manhasset, NY
20. South Texas Independent School District, Mercedes, TX

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

Statewide, Millburn and Northern Valley Regional took the top spot followed by Princeton Public Schools. Last year, PPS was the number one school district in New Jersey, but this year, they were upstaged by Millburn Township School District.

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.)

"Our 2022 rankings come at a time when so many parents are curious about the different options for their children's education, including some they may never have considered before," Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman said in a statement.

"No matter where they are in their search process, we strive to be a reliable guide and resource. It is truly an honor to know our users trust us to play a key role in such a big life decision."

Here are New Jersey's Top 10 school districts:

• Millburn Township School District
• Northern Valley Regional High School District
• Princeton Public Schools
• West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
• Livingston Board of Education School District
• Tenafly Public School District
• Ridgewood Public School District
• Pascack Valley Regional High School District
• Summit Public School District
• Moorestown Township Public School District

The most significant change to the methodology in 2022 was a de-emphasis of SAT and ACT scores. Any factor for test scores has been reduced by one-third.

Niche said it chose to alter the methodology for several reasons, including acknowledgment of socioeconomic and racial disparities perpetuated by standardized tests; challenges making appointments to test in-person due to the coronavirus pandemic, and an increasing number of institutions adopting test-optional policies.

To see a full list of New Jersey's 2022 Best Schools rankings, visit: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/new-jersey.

To see the nationwide ranking, visit: https://www.niche.com/k12/rankings.

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