John L. Costley Middle School

Summary:

John L. Costley Middle School is a public middle school located in East Orange, New Jersey, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 333 students. The school is part of the East Orange School District, which is ranked 525 out of 613 districts in New Jersey and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

John L. Costley Middle School consistently ranks in the bottom 10-15% of New Jersey middle schools, with rankings between 683-709 out of 745-748 schools in recent years. The school's performance on NJSLA (New Jersey Student Learning Assessment) tests is significantly below state and district averages, with only 14.1% of 7th-grade students and 13.3% of 8th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, and just 10.4% of 7th-grade students and 1.8% of 8th-grade students proficient or better in mathematics. The school's performance on science assessments is also very low, with only 0.9% of 8th-grade students proficient or better.

Despite the school's relatively high per-student spending of $14,015 and a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.9, John L. Costley Middle School has struggled to improve student outcomes. The challenges facing the school are not unique, as the two other middle schools in the East Orange School District, Sojourner Truth Middle School and Patrick F. Healy Middle School, also perform poorly on academic measures. In contrast, nearby schools in other districts, such as Roosevelt Middle School in West Orange and Glenfield Middle School in Montclair, demonstrate significantly higher academic performance.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 116 Hamilton St
       East Orange, NJ  07017-2912


(973) 266-5660

District: East Orange School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
704th of 743 New Jersey Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,015 Help


Students who attend John L. Costley Middle School usually attend:

High:    East Orange Campus High School
    East Orange STEM Academy High School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.5 Help
Number of students:  320

Racial breakdown:

African American:
75.3%
Hispanic:
20.9%
White:
0.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  59.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details John L. Costley Middle School ranks worse than 94.8% of middle schools in New Jersey. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.11. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (75.3%), Hispanic (20.9%), American Indian (0.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 59.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the East Orange School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at John L. Costley Middle School is 12.5, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the East Orange School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare John L. Costley Middle School employs 25.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at John L. Costley Middle School is $14,015, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the East Orange School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

John L. Costley Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks John L. Costley Middle School 704th of 743 New Jersey public middle schools. (See John L. Costley Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


East Orange School District:

SchoolDigger ranks East Orange School District 525th of 613 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for John L. Costley Middle School

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Rank History for all students at John L. Costley Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 12.54 683rd 745 8.3%
2023 9.62 709th 748 5.2%
2024 10.11 704th 743 5.2%
See the entire list of New Jersey Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at John L. Costley Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 31.55 193rd 270 28.5%
2024 25.71 273rd 320 14.7%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at John L. Costley Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 23.68 450th 535 15.9%
2024 18.53 482nd 510 5.5%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at John L. Costley Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 16.12 469th 549 14.6%
2023 13.00 498th 568 12.3%
2024 13.76 515th 584 11.8%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at John L. Costley Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 14.75 644th 726 11.3%
2023 10.70 675th 720 6.3%
2024 12.11 665th 717 7.3%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at John L. Costley Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 11.79 682nd 730 6.6%
2023 8.16 701st 718 2.4%
2024 9.75 686th 719 4.6%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at John L. Costley Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 22.63 311th 356 12.6%
2023 20.19 327th 361 9.4%
2024 19.19 303rd 352 13.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at John L. Costley Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 16.04 532nd 587 9.4%
2024 15.96 535th 589 9.2%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: New Jersey Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

John L. Costley Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Open Quote This schools gives a great education and helps me pass test and understand the subject clearly. Close Quote



Enrollment information for John L. Costley Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 0 544 0 9 0 n/a n/a 0 553
1989 0 437 1 29 0 n/a n/a 0 467
1990 0 435 1 43 0 n/a n/a 0 479
1991 0 451 1 15 0 n/a n/a 0 467
1992 1 492 0 35 0 n/a n/a 0 528
1993 0 355 1 19 0 n/a n/a 0 375
1994 1 317 0 26 0 n/a n/a 0 344
1995 2 640 0 44 5 n/a n/a 0 691
1996 2 640 0 44 5 n/a n/a 0 691
1998 3 542 1 39 0 n/a n/a 0 585
1999 2 585 0 36 0 n/a n/a 0 623
2000 1 562 0 34 0 n/a n/a 0 597
2001 0 571 1 35 0 n/a n/a 0 607
2002 1 587 0 65 0 n/a n/a 0 653
2003 1 587 0 65 0 n/a n/a 0 653
2004 3 592 0 64 1 n/a n/a 0 660
2005 0 521 0 68 0 n/a n/a 0 589
2006 0 531 0 78 0 n/a n/a 0 609
2007 0 520 0 72 0 n/a n/a 0 592
2008 0 496 0 55 0 n/a n/a 0 551
2009 0 426 0 51 0 0 0 0 477
2010 0 482 0 48 0 0 0 0 530
2011 0 416 0 24 0 0 0 0 440
2012 1 426 1 25 0 0 0 0 453
2013 0 416 1 20 0 0 0 0 437
2014 1 418 0 22 0 1 0 0 442
2015 1 453 0 25 0 1 0 0 480
2016 2 347 0 21 2 0 0 0 372
2017 3 351 0 28 1 0 0 0 383
2018 3 365 0 39 0 0 1 0 408
2019 4 333 0 30 0 0 0 0 367
2020 2 353 2 40 0 0 2 0 399
2021 4 392 0 50 1 0 2 0 449
2022 1 280 0 47 0 0 0 0 328
2023 2 262 0 64 1 1 3 0 333
2024 3 241 1 67 3 2 3 0 320

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at John L. Costley Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 553 36.0 15.3 n/a
1989 467 31.0 15.0 n/a
1990 479 30.0 15.9 57
1991 467 30.0 15.5 65.7
1992 528 39.0 13.5 80.9
1993 375 25.0 15.0 80.5
1994 344 27.0 12.7 76.5
1995 691 36.0 19.2 73.1
1996 691 36.0 19.2 73.1
1998 585 37.0 15.8 65.6
1999 623 40.0 15.6 73.7
2000 597 49.0 12.2 81.7
2001 607 49.2 12.3 83.2
2002 653 49.0 13.3 76.4
2003 653 49.0 13.3 76.4
2004 660 44.0 15.0 72.9
2005 589 44.0 13.4 n/a
2006 609 51.0 11.9 73.6
2007 592 52.0 11.4 59.8
2008 551 41.0 13.4 74.6
2009 477 45.7 8.4 84.5
2010 530 50.0 10.6 75.1
2011 440 43.0 10.2 70
2012 453 46.7 9.6 66.4
2013 437 52.0 8.4 77.3
2014 442 48.0 9.2 70.6
2015 480 49.0 9.7 72.7
2016 372 45.0 8.2 74.5
2017 383 34.0 11.2 6
2018 408 35.0 11.6 57.6
2019 367 34.4 10.6 60.5
2020 399 29.1 13.7 85.2
2021 449 28.8 15.5 72.6
2022 328 28.3 11.5 69.8
2023 333 27.9 11.9 58.9
2024 320 25.5 12.5 59.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio John L. Costley Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 553 36.0 15.3 n/a
1989 467 31.0 15.0 n/a
1990 479 30.0 15.9 57
1991 467 30.0 15.5 65.7
1992 528 39.0 13.5 80.9
1993 375 25.0 15.0 80.5
1994 344 27.0 12.7 76.5
1995 691 36.0 19.2 73.1
1996 691 36.0 19.2 73.1
1998 585 37.0 15.8 65.6
1999 623 40.0 15.6 73.7
2000 597 49.0 12.2 81.7
2001 607 49.2 12.3 83.2
2002 653 49.0 13.3 76.4
2003 653 49.0 13.3 76.4
2004 660 44.0 15.0 72.9
2005 589 44.0 13.4 n/a
2006 609 51.0 11.9 73.6
2007 592 52.0 11.4 59.8
2008 551 41.0 13.4 74.6
2009 477 45.7 8.4 84.5
2010 530 50.0 10.6 75.1
2011 440 43.0 10.2 70
2012 453 46.7 9.6 66.4
2013 437 52.0 8.4 77.3
2014 442 48.0 9.2 70.6
2015 480 49.0 9.7 72.7
2016 372 45.0 8.2 74.5
2017 383 34.0 11.2 6
2018 408 35.0 11.6 57.6
2019 367 34.4 10.6 60.5
2020 399 29.1 13.7 85.2
2021 449 28.8 15.5 72.6
2022 328 28.3 11.5 69.8
2023 333 27.9 11.9 58.9
2024 320 25.5 12.5 59.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for John L. Costley Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $675 (4.8%) $13,340 (95.2%) $14,015

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on John L. Costley Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
8th Grade English Language Arts (John L. Costley Middle School)27.627.3
 0.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (East Orange School District)41.640.6
 1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)62.955.3
 7.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (John L. Costley Middle School)4.92.1
 2.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (East Orange School District)127.9
 4.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)29.317.8
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students367333
 9.3%
African American333262
 21.3%
American Indian01
Asian00
Hispanic3064
 113.3%
Pacific Islander01
White42
 50%
Two or More Races03
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients60.5%58.9%
 1.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about John L. Costley Middle School

In the 2023-24 school year, 320 students attended John L. Costley Middle School.

Students who attend John L. Costley Middle School usually go on to attend East Orange Campus High School

John L. Costley Middle School ranks in the bottom 5.2% of New Jersey middle schools.

Students at John L. Costley Middle School are 75% African American, 21% Hispanic.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Jersey Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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