Summary:
The Berkeley Heights School District in New Jersey is home to a single high-performing middle school, Columbia Middle School, which serves grades 6-8. This standout institution is ranked among the top 12% of middle schools in the state, consistently earning 4 or 5-star ratings from SchoolDigger over the past three years.
Columbia Middle School's academic excellence is evident in its significantly higher test scores compared to state averages, with proficiency rates often 20-30 percentage points above the norm. The school's student-teacher ratio of 10.6 is lower than the state average, and its spending per student of $10,202 suggests a well-resourced educational environment. However, the school's very low rate of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, at just 0.71%, raises questions about the socioeconomic diversity of the student population and potential equity concerns.
While Columbia Middle School's overall performance is impressive, with its consistent high rankings and strong test scores, the school's slightly higher chronic absenteeism rate of 16.6% in the 2022-2023 school year could be an area for further investigation and improvement. Overall, Berkeley Heights School District is home to a standout middle school that is providing an excellent academic experience for its students, though the data suggests potential equity-related challenges that may warrant further analysis.
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