University Middle School

Summary:

University Middle School is a public middle school located in Irvington, New Jersey, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 720 students. The school is part of the Irvington Public School District, which is ranked 591 out of 615 districts in New Jersey and has a rating of 0 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

University Middle School faces significant challenges, with a student population that is predominantly African American (71.11%) and Hispanic (27.64%), and a large percentage of students (77.25%) coming from low-income families. The school consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of New Jersey middle schools, with performance significantly below the state average in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. Additionally, the school has experienced a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 13.2% in 2017-2018 to 33.8% in 2020-2021, which is significantly higher than the state average.

When compared to other middle schools in the surrounding area, University Middle School consistently underperforms. For example, Union Avenue Middle School, another Irvington public school, outperforms University Middle School in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. The school's poor academic performance is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, such as African American and Hispanic students, as well as English Language Learners and students with special needs, who all rank in the bottom quartile of their respective subgroups in New Jersey.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 255 Myrtle Ave
       Irvington, NJ  07111-2621


(973) 399-6879

District: Irvington Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
682nd of 748 New Jersey Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,378 Help


Students who attend University Middle School usually attend:

High:    Irvington High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.1 Help
Number of students:  720

Racial breakdown:

African American:
71.1%
Hispanic:
27.6%
Asian:
0.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  45.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details University Middle School ranks worse than 91.2% of middle schools in New Jersey. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.8. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 (71.1%), Hispanic (27.6%), Asian (0.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 45.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at University Middle School is 14.1. (See more...)
Help
Compare University Middle School employs 51 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at University Middle School is $9,378.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

University Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks University Middle School 682nd of 748 New Jersey public middle schools. (See University 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:


Irvington Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Irvington Public School District 591st of 615 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for University Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at University Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 0.95 568th 574 1.0%
2004 1.25 577th 588 1.9%
2005 1.71 579th 599 3.3%
2006 0.97 605th 615 1.6%
2007 1.76 616th 631 2.4%
2008 2.04 627th 640 2.0%
2009 2.95 637th 664 4.1%
2010 3.85 643rd 677 5.0%
2011 2.41 660th 684 3.5%
2012 1.88 661st 677 2.4%
2013 3.68 668th 704 5.1%
2014 4.05 671st 717 6.4%
2015 13.29 625th 713 12.3%
2016 10.60 645th 713 9.5%
2017 9.40 651st 712 8.6%
2018 8.51 662nd 716 7.5%
2019 7.23 704th 745 5.5%
2021 14.23 561st 652 14.0%
2022 11.88 691st 745 7.2%
2023 12.80 682nd 748 8.8%
See the entire list of New Jersey Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at University Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.31 195th 202 3.5%
2019 21.97 187th 227 17.6%
2021 23.64 177th 197 10.2%
2022 26.36 220th 270 18.5%
2023 26.42 235th 288 18.4%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at University Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.88 444th 471 5.7%
2019 18.07 449th 492 8.7%
2022 19.48 500th 535 6.5%
2023 18.63 477th 505 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 University Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.31 434th 522 16.9%
2019 15.39 460th 541 15.0%
2021 26.17 355th 467 24.0%
2022 19.58 452nd 549 17.7%
2023 22.44 453rd 568 20.2%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at University Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.46 632nd 680 7.1%
2019 7.08 670th 703 4.7%
2021 13.58 557th 625 10.9%
2022 12.61 664th 726 8.5%
2023 12.98 650th 720 9.7%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at University Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.84 624th 675 7.6%
2019 9.13 653rd 697 6.3%
2021 17.43 516th 635 18.7%
2022 12.79 663rd 730 9.2%
2023 14.02 647th 718 9.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at University Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.37 234th 326 28.2%
2019 24.37 269th 326 17.5%
2021 37.54 180th 291 38.1%
2022 28.61 279th 356 21.6%
2023 30.80 266th 361 26.3%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at University Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.38 481st 504 4.6%
2019 6.32 511th 524 2.5%
2021 20.25 433rd 480 9.8%
2022 16.35 538th 591 9.0%
2023 19.42 513th 587 12.6%
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.

University Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

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Enrollment information for University Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 4 559 3 77 0 n/a n/a 0 643
1989 5 597 0 90 1 n/a n/a 0 693
1990 1 607 3 54 0 n/a n/a 0 665
1991 0 553 2 72 0 n/a n/a 0 627
1992 2 597 2 54 0 n/a n/a 0 655
1993 7 591 4 45 0 n/a n/a 0 647
1994 4 607 1 38 0 n/a n/a 0 650
1995 0 492 3 54 0 n/a n/a 0 549
1996 0 492 3 54 0 n/a n/a 0 549
1998 0 507 0 29 0 n/a n/a 0 536
1999 0 485 0 31 1 n/a n/a 0 517
2000 2 514 5 34 0 n/a n/a 0 555
2001 0 487 3 26 0 n/a n/a 0 516
2002 0 957 0 43 0 n/a n/a 0 1000
2003 0 957 0 43 0 n/a n/a 0 1000
2004 0 719 0 53 0 n/a n/a 0 772
2005 0 694 0 57 0 n/a n/a 0 751
2006 0 622 0 45 0 n/a n/a 0 667
2007 0 594 2 47 0 n/a n/a 0 643
2008 0 735 2 54 0 n/a n/a 0 791
2009 0 665 1 31 0 0 0 0 697
2010 0 667 0 41 1 2 0 0 711
2011 0 694 0 54 1 2 2 0 753
2012 0 690 2 59 1 0 0 0 752
2013 0 571 3 64 0 0 1 0 639
2014 0 618 3 68 0 0 2 0 691
2015 0 555 3 81 0 0 1 0 640
2016 0 538 3 98 0 0 1 0 640
2017 1 533 3 109 0 0 3 0 649
2018 0 577 1 117 0 0 0 0 695
2019 0 604 2 151 0 0 1 0 758
2020 0 584 3 176 2 2 1 0 768
2021 0 601 4 165 3 3 2 0 778
2022 0 576 4 181 2 3 3 0 769
2023 0 512 4 199 2 2 1 0 720

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 University Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 643 44.0 14.6 n/a
1989 693 43.0 16.1 n/a
1990 665 46.0 14.4 29.3
1991 627 42.0 14.9 39.6
1992 655 46.0 14.2 53.3
1993 647 43.0 15.0 60.9
1994 650 39.0 16.7 74.8
1995 549 42.0 13.1 68.3
1996 549 42.0 13.1 68.3
1998 536 40.0 13.4 55.8
1999 517 42.0 12.3 71.8
2000 555 41.0 13.5 77.7
2001 516 41.3 12.5 72.1
2002 1000 46.0 21.7 63.3
2003 1000 46.0 21.7 63.3
2004 772 51.0 15.1 75.6
2005 751 50.0 15.0 n/a
2006 667 51.0 13.1 80.1
2007 643 51.0 12.6 47.1
2008 791 59.0 13.4 70.2
2009 697 62.9 9.3 65.7
2010 711 62.0 11.4 63.3
2011 753 58.0 12.9 66.5
2012 752 64.7 11.6 62.9
2013 639 56.5 11.3 77.6
2014 691 62.0 11.1 78.3
2015 640 58.0 11.0 86.3
2016 640 n/a n/a 85.2
2017 649 56.0 11.5 88
2018 695 53.0 13.1 88.1
2019 758 52.0 14.5 88.3
2020 768 53.0 14.4 76.4
2021 778 56.0 13.8 77.2
2022 769 40.0 19.2 68.7
2023 720 51.0 14.1 45.7

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 University Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 643 44.0 14.6 n/a
1989 693 43.0 16.1 n/a
1990 665 46.0 14.4 29.3
1991 627 42.0 14.9 39.6
1992 655 46.0 14.2 53.3
1993 647 43.0 15.0 60.9
1994 650 39.0 16.7 74.8
1995 549 42.0 13.1 68.3
1996 549 42.0 13.1 68.3
1998 536 40.0 13.4 55.8
1999 517 42.0 12.3 71.8
2000 555 41.0 13.5 77.7
2001 516 41.3 12.5 72.1
2002 1000 46.0 21.7 63.3
2003 1000 46.0 21.7 63.3
2004 772 51.0 15.1 75.6
2005 751 50.0 15.0 n/a
2006 667 51.0 13.1 80.1
2007 643 51.0 12.6 47.1
2008 791 59.0 13.4 70.2
2009 697 62.9 9.3 65.7
2010 711 62.0 11.4 63.3
2011 753 58.0 12.9 66.5
2012 752 64.7 11.6 62.9
2013 639 56.5 11.3 77.6
2014 691 62.0 11.1 78.3
2015 640 58.0 11.0 86.3
2016 640 n/a n/a 85.2
2017 649 56.0 11.5 88
2018 695 53.0 13.1 88.1
2019 758 52.0 14.5 88.3
2020 768 53.0 14.4 76.4
2021 778 56.0 13.8 77.2
2022 769 40.0 19.2 68.7
2023 720 51.0 14.1 45.7

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 University Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $185 (2.0%) $9,193 (98.0%) $9,378

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

Impact of COVID-19 on University 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 704th of 745 Middle schoolsRanks 682nd of 748 Middle schools
 3.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (University Middle School)22.224.1
 1.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Irvington Public School District)2623
 3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)56.149
 7.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (University Middle School)117.4
 3.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Irvington Public School District)12.89.2
 3.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)40.634.3
 6.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (University Middle School)24.818.8
 6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Irvington Public School District)34.126.1
 8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)62.855.7
 7.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (University Middle School)11.64.9
 6.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Irvington Public School District)12.47.6
 4.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)42.133.8
 8.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (University Middle School)2525.7
 0.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Irvington Public School District)31.927.6
 4.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)62.955.3
 7.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (University Middle School)3.45.2
 1.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Irvington Public School District)3.64
 0.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)29.317.8
 11.5%
8th Grade Algebra I (University Middle School)2553.8
 28.8%
   8th Grade Algebra I (Irvington Public School District)26.445.4
 19%
   8th Grade Algebra I (New Jersey)75.166
 9.1%
End of Course Algebra I (University Middle School)2553.8
 28.8%
   End of Course Algebra I (Irvington Public School District)6.69.7
 3.1%
   End of Course Algebra I (New Jersey)43.335.1
 8.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students758720
 5%
African American604512
 15.2%
American Indian02
Asian24
 100%
Hispanic151199
 31.8%
Pacific Islander02
White00
Two or More Races11
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients88.3%45.7%
 42.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about University Middle School

Students at University Middle School are 71% African American, 28% Hispanic.

Students who attend University Middle School usually go on to attend Irvington High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 720 students attended University Middle School.

University Middle School ranks in the bottom 8.8% of New Jersey middle schools.


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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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