Spotswood Public School District

The Spotswood Public School District in New Jersey operates 4 schools, including 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school, serving students from diverse backgrounds. While the district has some areas of strength, particularly at the elementary level, it also faces challenges in academic performance and student engagement that require attention.

The standout school in the district is E Raymond Appleby Elementary School, which boasts the highest academic performance, with students outperforming the district and state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. The school also has a relatively low chronic absenteeism rate and the lowest student-teacher ratio in the district, suggesting a focus on individualized attention. In contrast, Spotswood High School has a high graduation rate but lags behind the state average in several academic subjects, and its higher chronic absenteeism rate may be impacting student outcomes.

Across the district, there is significant variation in academic performance, with the elementary schools generally outperforming the middle and high school. This suggests opportunities for the district to learn from the successful practices at the elementary level and apply them to the higher grade levels. Additionally, addressing the high chronic absenteeism rates, which range from 23.6% to 35.8%, could be a key focus area for the district to improve overall student outcomes and ensure a smoother academic progression for students as they transition from one grade level to the next.