Salem City School District

The Salem City School District in New Jersey operates three schools: Salem Middle School, Salem High School, and John Fenwick Academy. Unfortunately, the data paints a concerning picture, as all three schools are performing well below state averages on key metrics like test scores, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism.

Across the board, proficiency rates on NJSLA tests are significantly lower than the state averages, often by 30-50 percentage points. For example, at Salem Middle School, only 9.6% of 3rd graders were proficient in ELA, compared to the state average of 42%. Similarly, Salem High School has a 91.4% four-year graduation rate, which is better than the other schools but still below the state average. All three schools also have very high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 36.5% to 42.4%, which is concerning.

The high rates of free/reduced lunch recipients, ranging from 52.14% to 79.26%, indicate that the student populations in these schools face significant economic disadvantages, which likely contribute to the low academic performance. With no clear standout schools and widespread underperformance, the Salem City School District as a whole appears to be in need of significant improvement and intervention to better support student success.