Summary:
The East Orange School District in New Jersey is home to three middle schools: John L. Costley Middle School, Patrick F. Healy Middle School, and Sojourner Truth Middle School. These schools serve students in grades 6-8 and face significant challenges, with all three performing well below state averages on academic measures.
The student population at these middle schools is predominantly African American, ranging from 77.34% to 83.64%, with Hispanic students making up the second-largest racial group. Proficiency rates on the NJSLA (New Jersey Student Learning Assessments) are alarmingly low, with 8th grade Mathematics proficiency ranging from just 2.1% to 11.3%, compared to the state average of 17.8%. English Language Arts proficiency rates, while slightly higher, still fall well short of state benchmarks, ranging from 27.3% to 31.9% for 8th grade. Chronic absenteeism rates also vary, with John L. Costley Middle School having the highest rate at 35.5%.
Despite relatively high per-student spending and low student-teacher ratios, the academic outcomes at these East Orange School District middle schools remain poor, suggesting that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution. The data highlights the need for targeted interventions and strategies to address the root causes of the low academic achievement, such as improving instructional quality, addressing chronic absenteeism, and providing additional support for struggling students.
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