Best Public Schools in Clifton, NJ

The city of Clifton, New Jersey is home to 18 schools, including 14 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 1 high school, all part of the Clifton Public School District. While the district as a whole struggles, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, a few standout schools are performing significantly better than others.

School #2 and School #9 are the top-performing elementary schools, ranking in the top 50% of New Jersey elementary schools and earning 3-star ratings. The Classical Academy Charter School of Clifton is the top-performing middle school, ranking in the top 40% of New Jersey middle schools and also earning a 3-star rating. While Clifton High School is not the highest-ranked, it has a relatively high 91.1% four-year graduation rate and a low 1.2% dropout rate.

However, the Clifton Public School District as a whole struggles with test scores, with most schools performing below the state average in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Additionally, the district has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 16.6%, which is likely contributing to the low test scores. The correlation between economic disadvantage, as measured by free/reduced lunch rates, and lower academic performance is also evident across the district. Addressing these systemic issues could be key to improving the overall quality of education in Clifton.