High Schools in Bayonne School District

The Bayonne School District in New Jersey is home to two high schools: Bayonne High School and Bayonne Alternative High School. While Bayonne High School is the stronger performing school, with a higher statewide ranking, better test scores, and higher graduation rates, Bayonne Alternative High School is struggling, ranking 422nd out of 422 New Jersey high schools and having very low test proficiency rates and a much lower 4-year graduation rate.

Bayonne High School has an enrollment of 2,656 students and a diverse racial makeup, with 40.06% White, 16.94% Black, 33.43% Hispanic, and 6.02% Asian students. The school has a 2022-2023 statewide ranking of 243 out of 422 New Jersey high schools and a 4-year graduation rate of 90.8%. In contrast, Bayonne Alternative High School has an enrollment of only 180 students and a higher percentage of Black and Hispanic students. The alternative school ranks 422nd out of 422 New Jersey high schools and has a much lower 4-year graduation rate of 35.6%.

The data suggests that the Bayonne School District needs to closely examine the factors contributing to the performance gap between the two high schools and implement targeted strategies to support the struggling Bayonne Alternative High School. While the spending per student is relatively similar between the two schools, the significant differences in academic performance, graduation rates, and statewide rankings indicate that factors beyond just funding, such as school culture, teacher quality, and student support services, may be playing a crucial role in student outcomes.