Middlesex County STEM Charter School

Middlesex County STEM Charter School is the sole elementary public charter school serving students in grades K-8 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The school faces significant challenges, with its student population predominantly consisting of minority and economically disadvantaged students, and its academic performance well below state averages across all grade levels and subject areas.

Middlesex County STEM Charter School serves a diverse student body, with a majority Hispanic enrollment (69.91%) and notable African American (18.4%) and Asian (3.68%) representation. However, the school's standardized test scores lag behind state benchmarks, with proficiency rates ranging from 23.1% in 3rd grade English Language Arts to 46.4% in 3rd grade Mathematics, compared to state averages of 42% to 53.2% and 34.3% to 45.9%, respectively. The school's 5th grade science proficiency rate of 11.1% is also significantly lower than the state average of 26.8%.

In addition to its academic struggles, Middlesex County STEM Charter School faces other challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate of 20.6% and a low ranking among New Jersey elementary schools, ranging from 927th out of 1,317 schools in 2020-2021 to 1,022nd out of 1,345 schools in 2021-2022. These factors suggest that the school may need to implement targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes and provide a high-quality education for its predominantly minority and economically disadvantaged student population.