Mt. Ephraim School District

The Mt. Ephraim School District in New Jersey is home to two schools: Mary Bray Elementary School and Raymond W. Kershaw School. While both schools serve a predominantly white student population, the data reveals that the middle school, Raymond W. Kershaw, outperforms the elementary school, Mary Bray, on several academic metrics.

Raymond W. Kershaw School boasts higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts across all grades and higher Algebra I proficiency in 8th grade, as well as a higher statewide ranking, placing in the top 293 out of 748 New Jersey middle schools. In contrast, Mary Bray Elementary's ranking is 803 out of 1,342 elementary schools. However, both schools struggle with high chronic absenteeism rates, which are above the state average.

Interestingly, despite the higher per-student spending at Raymond W. Kershaw School, the Mary Bray Elementary School still manages to achieve respectable proficiency rates in some subject areas. This suggests that the middle school may be more effective in supporting its students' academic achievement, even with a higher percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch. The district may want to investigate the factors contributing to these performance differences and explore ways to promote diversity and address the high chronic absenteeism rates across both schools.