East Orange School District

The East Orange School District in New Jersey comprises 20 schools, including 14 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 high schools, serving a predominantly African American and Hispanic student population. The district's schools exhibit a wide range of academic performance, with some standout institutions like East Orange STEM Academy High School and Cicely L. Tyson Community Middle/High School leading the way in terms of statewide rankings, graduation rates, and proficiency levels.

While the district's top-performing schools boast impressive results, with East Orange STEM Academy High School ranking 172nd out of 422 New Jersey high schools and maintaining a 98.7% graduation rate, other schools in the district struggle with lower proficiency rates and higher dropout and chronic absenteeism levels. The data suggests a strong correlation between socioeconomic status, as measured by free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, and academic performance, with the schools serving more economically disadvantaged populations generally underperforming their peers.

Addressing these disparities and replicating the strategies employed by the district's high-achieving schools could be key to driving improvements across the East Orange School District. Targeted interventions to improve student attendance, support students during critical transition periods, and ensure equitable resource allocation could help narrow the achievement gap and provide all students with the opportunity to succeed.