Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Summary:

Buzz Aldrin Middle School is a public middle school located in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, serving grades 6-8 and part of the Montclair Public School District. With 610 students and a student-teacher ratio of 10.4, the school consistently outperforms state and district averages on academic assessments, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics.

Buzz Aldrin Middle School's academic performance is a standout, with a higher percentage of students proficient or better in ELA and Mathematics compared to the state average. For example, in 2023-2024, 62.9% of 6th graders, 73.8% of 7th graders, and 71.1% of 8th graders were proficient or better in ELA, significantly higher than the state averages. The school also performs exceptionally well for certain student subgroups, ranking 50th out of 510 New Jersey middle schools for White students and 23rd out of 510 for Special Education students. However, the school's performance for economically disadvantaged students is an area of concern, ranking 485th out of 584 New Jersey middle schools for this subgroup.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Glenfield Middle School and Renaissance Middle School at the Rand Building, Buzz Aldrin Middle School generally outperforms its counterparts in ELA and Mathematics. The school also stands out in its Algebra I performance, with 57.6% of students proficient or better in the end-of-course assessment, significantly higher than the district (38.1%) and state (39.7%) averages. While the school's science proficiency rates are above the state average, they are lower compared to its strong performance in other subjects, suggesting an area for potential improvement.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 173 Bellevue Ave
       Upper Montclair, NJ  07042


(973) 509-4220

District: Montclair Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
185th of 743 New Jersey Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,896 Help


Students who attend Buzz Aldrin Middle School usually attend:

High:    Montclair High School

Feeder schools for Buzz Aldrin Middle School:

Elementary:    Bradford Elementary School
    Charles H. Bullock School
    Edgemont Elementary School
    Hillside Elementary School
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  10.0 Help
Number of students:  607

Racial breakdown:

White:
53.4%
African American:
14.8%
Hispanic:
14.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  13.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Buzz Aldrin Middle School ranks better than 75.1% of middle schools in New Jersey. It also ranks first among 3 ranked middle schools in the Montclair Public School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.4. (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 Buzz Aldrin Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Montclair Public School District. Student population at Buzz Aldrin Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (53.4%), African American (14.8%), Hispanic (14%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 13.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Buzz Aldrin Middle School is 10, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Montclair Public School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Buzz Aldrin Middle School employs 60.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Buzz Aldrin Middle School is $11,896, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Montclair Public School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Buzz Aldrin Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Buzz Aldrin Middle School 185th of 743 New Jersey public middle schools. (See Buzz Aldrin Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Montclair Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Montclair Public School District 158th of 613 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Buzz Aldrin Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 55.97 342nd 574 40.4%
2004 49.71 382nd 588 35.0%
2005 54.71 356th 599 40.6%
2006 43.66 421st 615 31.5%
2007 68.40 246th 631 61.0%
2008 54.39 378th 640 40.9%
2009 55.83 378th 664 43.1%
2010 62.13 318th 677 53.0%
2011 63.27 304th 684 55.6%
2012 62.63 315th 677 53.5%
2013 53.47 393rd 704 44.2%
2014 67.10 274th 717 61.8%
2015 83.46 71st 713 90.0%
2016 67.14 210th 713 70.5%
2017 76.43 158th 712 77.8%
2018 56.65 302nd 716 57.8%
2019 64.35 259th 745 65.2%
2021 81.23 101st 652 84.5%
2022 68.96 189th 745 74.6%
2023 68.64 200th 748 73.3%
2024 71.40 185th 743 75.1%
See the entire list of New Jersey Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.70 222nd 471 52.9%
2019 79.48 57th 492 88.4%
2021 62.99 96th 401 76.1%
2022 67.39 101st 535 81.1%
2023 64.29 109th 505 78.4%
2024 87.25 23rd 510 95.5%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.84 359th 522 31.2%
2019 25.49 407th 541 24.8%
2021 74.64 48th 467 89.7%
2022 31.92 375th 549 31.7%
2023 42.11 298th 568 47.5%
2024 20.77 485th 584 17.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.83 197th 680 71.0%
2019 77.40 149th 703 78.8%
2021 88.65 49th 625 92.2%
2022 80.13 123rd 726 83.1%
2023 78.41 135th 720 81.3%
2024 79.79 134th 717 81.3%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.41 227th 675 66.4%
2019 70.00 204th 697 70.7%
2021 75.22 129th 635 79.7%
2022 71.22 176th 730 75.9%
2023 76.17 147th 718 79.5%
2024 78.03 139th 719 80.7%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.40 162nd 200 19.0%
2019 40.00 130th 199 34.7%
2021 49.26 74th 147 49.7%
2022 45.52 117th 200 41.5%
2023 38.46 138th 201 31.3%
2024 43.96 121st 200 39.5%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.02 85th 326 73.9%
2019 72.16 63rd 326 80.7%
2021 78.85 31st 291 89.3%
2022 60.33 98th 356 72.5%
2023 72.90 63rd 361 82.5%
2024 58.54 109th 352 69.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.27 125th 504 75.2%
2019 69.32 122nd 524 76.7%
2021 90.32 22nd 480 95.4%
2022 91.03 30th 591 94.9%
2023 70.44 117th 587 80.1%
2024 69.10 133rd 589 77.4%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.56 131st 497 73.6%
2019 80.61 60th 504 88.1%
2021 83.32 42nd 435 90.3%
2022 77.93 84th 512 83.6%
2023 80.00 69th 509 86.4%
2024 83.97 50th 510 90.2%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for White 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.

Buzz Aldrin 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 Buzz Aldrin Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 220 213 19 15 2 n/a n/a 0 469
1989 221 219 16 15 2 n/a n/a 0 473
1990 207 218 23 18 0 n/a n/a 0 466
1991 258 285 28 24 0 n/a n/a 0 595
1992 259 298 30 25 0 n/a n/a 0 612
1993 307 313 37 19 1 n/a n/a 0 677
1994 294 309 39 25 1 n/a n/a 0 668
1995 304 343 34 40 0 n/a n/a 0 721
1996 304 343 34 40 0 n/a n/a 0 721
1998 258 299 22 39 1 n/a n/a 0 619
1999 184 253 22 32 0 n/a n/a 0 491
2000 177 224 28 37 4 n/a n/a 0 470
2001 206 251 28 46 0 n/a n/a 0 531
2002 219 264 20 47 1 n/a n/a 0 551
2003 219 264 20 47 1 n/a n/a 0 551
2004 207 256 15 52 1 n/a n/a 0 531
2005 240 239 27 50 0 n/a n/a 0 556
2006 275 256 30 51 0 n/a n/a 0 612
2007 299 265 24 49 0 n/a n/a 0 637
2008 253 273 25 52 0 n/a n/a 0 603
2009 227 276 25 51 0 0 0 0 579
2010 230 270 36 45 0 0 0 0 581
2011 239 235 12 44 3 0 35 0 568
2012 234 214 22 40 3 4 31 0 548
2013 224 209 26 62 2 4 18 0 545
2014 253 199 46 75 2 0 19 0 594
2015 289 203 38 90 1 0 25 0 646
2016 309 180 42 79 1 0 31 0 642
2017 330 178 38 83 2 0 28 0 659
2018 337 161 42 84 2 1 31 0 658
2019 343 163 41 94 1 0 25 0 667
2020 347 157 45 85 1 0 30 0 665
2021 355 142 42 86 1 0 36 0 662
2022 323 112 43 87 1 0 53 0 619
2023 314 99 44 94 0 1 58 0 610
2024 324 90 42 85 0 1 65 0 607

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 Buzz Aldrin Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 469 36.0 13.0 n/a
1989 473 36.0 13.1 n/a
1990 466 37.0 12.5 12
1991 595 44.0 13.5 15.5
1992 612 43.0 14.2 n/a
1993 677 45.0 15.0 16.7
1994 668 45.0 14.8 17.4
1995 721 56.7 12.7 17.8
1996 721 56.7 12.7 17.8
1998 619 51.8 11.9 16.5
1999 491 48.1 10.2 20
2000 470 53.5 8.8 26
2001 531 53.8 9.9 27.7
2002 551 61.5 9.0 29.4
2003 551 61.5 9.0 29.4
2004 531 64.5 8.2 26.6
2005 556 61.5 9.0 n/a
2006 612 65.5 9.3 24.5
2007 637 67.0 9.5 22.6
2008 603 48.0 12.6 24
2009 579 60.7 6.7 24.7
2010 581 49.0 11.8 29.3
2011 568 45.0 12.6 0
2012 548 n/a n/a 16.2
2013 545 61.3 8.8 9.7
2014 594 64.3 9.2 26.1
2015 646 69.0 9.3 23.2
2016 642 63.0 10.1 23.2
2017 659 65.3 10.0 18.4
2018 658 63.3 10.3 18.4
2019 667 62.3 10.7 13.9
2020 665 62.3 10.6 15.3
2021 662 61.3 10.7 15.6
2022 619 59.3 10.4 12.3
2023 610 58.3 10.4 13
2024 607 60.3 10.0 13.5

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 Buzz Aldrin Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 469 36.0 13.0 n/a
1989 473 36.0 13.1 n/a
1990 466 37.0 12.5 12
1991 595 44.0 13.5 15.5
1992 612 43.0 14.2 n/a
1993 677 45.0 15.0 16.7
1994 668 45.0 14.8 17.4
1995 721 56.7 12.7 17.8
1996 721 56.7 12.7 17.8
1998 619 51.8 11.9 16.5
1999 491 48.1 10.2 20
2000 470 53.5 8.8 26
2001 531 53.8 9.9 27.7
2002 551 61.5 9.0 29.4
2003 551 61.5 9.0 29.4
2004 531 64.5 8.2 26.6
2005 556 61.5 9.0 n/a
2006 612 65.5 9.3 24.5
2007 637 67.0 9.5 22.6
2008 603 48.0 12.6 24
2009 579 60.7 6.7 24.7
2010 581 49.0 11.8 29.3
2011 568 45.0 12.6 0
2012 548 n/a n/a 16.2
2013 545 61.3 8.8 9.7
2014 594 64.3 9.2 26.1
2015 646 69.0 9.3 23.2
2016 642 63.0 10.1 23.2
2017 659 65.3 10.0 18.4
2018 658 63.3 10.3 18.4
2019 667 62.3 10.7 13.9
2020 665 62.3 10.6 15.3
2021 662 61.3 10.7 15.6
2022 619 59.3 10.4 12.3
2023 610 58.3 10.4 13
2024 607 60.3 10.0 13.5

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 Buzz Aldrin Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $170 (1.4%) $11,726 (98.6%) $11,896

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Buzz Aldrin 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 259th of 745 Middle schoolsRanks 200th of 748 Middle schools
 8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Buzz Aldrin Middle School)70.555.4
 15.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Montclair Public School District)6663.2
 2.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)56.149
 7.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Buzz Aldrin Middle School)55.553.4
 2.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Montclair Public School District)49.451
 1.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)40.634.3
 6.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Buzz Aldrin Middle School)71.171.5
 0.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Montclair Public School District)65.769.4
 3.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)62.855.7
 7.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Buzz Aldrin Middle School)51.658
 6.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Montclair Public School District)44.648.6
 4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)42.133.8
 8.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Buzz Aldrin Middle School)7267.1
 4.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Montclair Public School District)65.967.2
 1.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)62.955.3
 7.6%
8th Grade Algebra I (Buzz Aldrin Middle School)51.745.4
 6.3%
   8th Grade Algebra I (Montclair Public School District)46.641.4
 5.2%
   8th Grade Algebra I (New Jersey)75.166
 9.1%
8th Grade Geometry (Buzz Aldrin Middle School)10091.7
 8.3%
   8th Grade Geometry (Montclair Public School District)94.371.4
 22.9%
   8th Grade Geometry (New Jersey)93.476.6
 16.8%
End of Course Algebra I (Buzz Aldrin Middle School)58.347.7
 10.6%
   End of Course Algebra I (Montclair Public School District)45.235.8
 9.4%
   End of Course Algebra I (New Jersey)43.335.1
 8.2%
End of Course Geometry (Buzz Aldrin Middle School)10091.7
 8.3%
   End of Course Geometry (Montclair Public School District)79.523.6
 55.9%
   End of Course Geometry (New Jersey)32.244.8
 12.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students667610
 8.5%
African American16399
 39.3%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian4144
 7.3%
Hispanic9494
Pacific Islander01
White343314
 8.5%
Two or More Races2558
 132%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients13.9%13%
 1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Buzz Aldrin Middle School

Buzz Aldrin Middle School ranks 185th of 743 New Jersey middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 607 students attended Buzz Aldrin Middle School.

Students at Buzz Aldrin Middle School are 53% White, 15% African American, 14% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 7% Asian.

Students who attend Buzz Aldrin Middle School usually go on to attend Montclair High School


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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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