Summary:
The Asbury Park School District has only one middle school, Dr. Martin Luther King Upper Elementary School, which serves grades 4-6. This school faces significant challenges, with extremely low academic performance, persistent underperformance, and socioeconomic difficulties that contribute to poor student outcomes.
Dr. Martin Luther King Upper Elementary School has shockingly low proficiency rates across all grade levels and subject areas, falling far below state averages. For example, only 12.7% of 4th graders are proficient in ELA compared to 51.3% statewide, and just 3.7% are proficient in Math compared to 44.3% statewide. The 0% proficiency rate in 5th grade science is particularly alarming. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 5% of New Jersey middle schools, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger, for at least the past 3 school years.
Despite the school's poor performance, it spends a relatively high amount per student ($22,456) compared to the state average. This raises questions about how effectively those resources are being utilized to support student learning. With over 58% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and a high chronic absenteeism rate of 30.7%, the school faces significant socioeconomic challenges that likely contribute to the low academic outcomes. Addressing these issues will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improve outcomes for the students in the Asbury Park School District.
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