Salem High School

Summary:

Salem High School is a public high school located in Salem, New Jersey, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 420 students. The school is part of the Salem City School District, which is ranked 607 out of 613 districts in New Jersey and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Over the past 10 years, Salem High School has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of New Jersey high schools, with its ranking ranging from 292 to 424 out of the state's high schools.

Academically, Salem High School struggles significantly, with proficiency rates well below the state average across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 26.1% of 9th-grade students were proficient or better in NJSLA/English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 58.1%. The school also faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 16.6% to 39.3% in recent years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, a large proportion of the student population, 52.14% in the 2022-2023 school year, comes from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

When compared to nearby high-performing schools, such as Clearview Regional High School, Arthur P. Schalick High School, and Kingsway Regional High School, Salem High School consistently underperforms academically. These nearby schools have significantly higher proficiency rates in core subjects and higher overall rankings within the state. Addressing the achievement gaps for specific student groups and improving the overall academic performance should be a priority for the school and the Salem City School District.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 219 Walnut St
       Salem, NJ  08079-9048


(856) 935-3900

District: Salem City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
389th of 426 New Jersey High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,851 Help


Feeder schools for Salem High School:

Elementary:    John Fenwick Academy
Middle:    Salem Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  9.6 Help
Number of students:  387

Racial breakdown:

African American:
54.5%
White:
27.6%
Hispanic:
14.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  61.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Salem High School ranks worse than 91.3% of high schools in New Jersey. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.37. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Salem High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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 Student population at Salem High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (54.5%), White (27.6%), Hispanic (14.5%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 61.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Salem High School is 9.6. (See more...)
Help
Compare Salem High School employs 40 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Salem High School is $16,851.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Salem High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Salem High School 389th of 426 New Jersey public high schools. (See Salem High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Salem City School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Salem City School District 607th of 613 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Salem High School

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Rank History for all students at Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 27.06 271st 343 21.0%
2004 10.55 315th 348 9.5%
2005 15.17 310th 351 11.7%
2006 15.77 307th 357 14.0%
2007 20.36 307th 361 15.0%
2008 22.75 299th 359 16.7%
2009 7.77 340th 370 8.1%
2010 16.93 324th 371 12.7%
2011 5.73 348th 378 7.9%
2012 6.35 362nd 388 6.7%
2013 2.86 378th 396 4.5%
2014 6.44 378th 411 8.0%
2015 28.96 292nd 406 28.1%
2016 19.64 360th 409 12.0%
2017 18.62 354th 411 13.9%
2018 16.73 363rd 415 12.5%
2019 17.38 344th 416 17.3%
2021 20.01 324th 405 20.0%
2022 25.13 302nd 415 27.2%
2023 17.88 345th 422 18.2%
2024 12.37 389th 426 8.7%
See the entire list of New Jersey High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.42 338th 355 4.8%
2019 14.85 343rd 349 1.7%
2021 16.55 314th 333 5.7%
2022 14.36 341st 344 0.9%
2023 33.05 201st 339 40.7%
2024 14.77 342nd 349 2.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.44 306th 345 11.3%
2019 27.78 261st 347 24.8%
2021 16.22 307th 326 5.8%
2022 26.53 246th 324 24.1%
2023 32.10 227th 344 34.0%
2024 12.82 342nd 350 2.3%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.60 348th 403 13.6%
2019 15.96 338th 408 17.2%
2021 18.69 334th 402 16.9%
2022 27.06 286th 414 30.9%
2023 17.07 341st 416 18.0%
2024 14.82 359th 416 13.7%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.20 376th 405 7.2%
2019 17.28 330th 407 18.9%
2021 24.40 300th 402 25.4%
2022 27.79 263rd 410 35.9%
2023 27.35 265th 414 36.0%
2024 12.38 364th 415 12.3%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.75 248th 266 6.8%
2019 21.89 213th 254 16.1%
2021 29.21 189th 247 23.5%
2022 33.06 165th 256 35.5%
2023 28.28 182nd 250 27.2%
2024 16.70 247th 260 5.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.11 176th 374 52.9%
2022 22.62 307th 382 19.6%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.47 254th 340 25.3%
2019 26.97 233rd 339 31.3%
2021 21.41 279th 336 17.0%
2022 39.31 177th 335 47.2%
2023 19.36 274th 335 18.2%
2024 26.51 237th 337 29.7%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey High 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.

Salem High 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 Salem High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 367 332 2 14 0 n/a n/a 0 715
1989 332 314 4 18 0 n/a n/a 0 668
1990 301 297 5 25 0 n/a n/a 0 628
1991 286 278 5 25 0 n/a n/a 0 594
1992 288 316 4 16 0 n/a n/a 0 624
1993 281 277 4 16 0 n/a n/a 0 578
1994 249 261 1 18 0 n/a n/a 0 529
1995 255 260 1 26 1 n/a n/a 0 543
1996 255 260 1 26 1 n/a n/a 0 543
1998 265 257 2 17 1 n/a n/a 0 542
1999 271 254 3 12 0 n/a n/a 0 540
2000 277 220 3 15 0 n/a n/a -1 514
2001 257 240 2 16 0 n/a n/a 0 515
2002 289 257 5 10 1 n/a n/a 0 562
2003 289 257 5 10 1 n/a n/a 0 562
2004 284 259 5 11 1 n/a n/a 0 560
2005 267 292 3 10 1 n/a n/a 0 573
2006 301 370 1 22 0 n/a n/a 0 694
2007 274 281 1 13 0 n/a n/a 0 569
2008 237 266 2 18 0 n/a n/a 0 523
2009 235 297 1 20 0 0 0 0 553
2010 179 280 1 15 0 0 1 0 476
2011 145 277 1 14 1 0 2 0 440
2012 101 259 1 18 0 0 2 0 381
2013 73 254 2 14 0 0 3 0 346
2014 72 230 1 21 0 0 2 0 326
2015 66 231 2 18 0 0 0 0 317
2016 74 212 2 28 3 0 0 0 319
2017 74 216 1 36 2 0 0 0 329
2018 80 211 0 37 1 0 5 0 334
2019 107 211 2 50 1 0 3 0 374
2020 115 193 1 52 3 0 2 0 366
2021 131 189 4 54 3 0 2 0 383
2022 129 196 2 63 5 0 4 0 399
2023 123 218 3 66 4 1 5 0 420
2024 107 211 3 56 7 1 2 0 387

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 Salem High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 715 51.0 14.0 n/a
1989 668 51.0 13.0 n/a
1990 628 47.0 13.3 21.2
1991 594 45.0 13.2 28.6
1992 624 44.0 14.1 34.3
1993 578 45.0 12.8 34.3
1994 529 42.5 12.4 43.1
1995 543 38.0 14.3 37.8
1996 543 38.0 14.3 37.8
1998 542 37.2 14.6 24.2
1999 540 39.0 13.8 33.1
2000 514 38.5 13.3 47.6
2001 515 40.0 12.9 38.8
2002 562 41.4 13.6 42
2003 562 41.4 13.6 42
2004 560 40.9 13.7 46.3
2005 573 52.7 10.9 n/a
2006 694 51.3 13.5 28.7
2007 569 52.5 10.8 35.1
2008 523 43.0 12.2 44.6
2009 553 44.8 10.5 46.8
2010 476 47.0 10.1 48.5
2011 440 46.5 9.4 59.5
2012 381 50.2 7.5 64.8
2013 346 51.5 6.7 72.3
2014 326 51.5 6.3 76.1
2015 317 49.0 6.4 73.5
2016 319 46.0 6.9 44.2
2017 329 47.0 7.0 54.7
2018 334 46.0 7.2 59.3
2019 374 44.0 8.5 60.7
2020 366 42.0 8.7 64.2
2021 383 41.0 9.3 26.9
2022 399 39.0 10.2 44.4
2023 420 38.0 11.0 52.1
2024 387 40.0 9.6 61.5

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 Salem High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 715 51.0 14.0 n/a
1989 668 51.0 13.0 n/a
1990 628 47.0 13.3 21.2
1991 594 45.0 13.2 28.6
1992 624 44.0 14.1 34.3
1993 578 45.0 12.8 34.3
1994 529 42.5 12.4 43.1
1995 543 38.0 14.3 37.8
1996 543 38.0 14.3 37.8
1998 542 37.2 14.6 24.2
1999 540 39.0 13.8 33.1
2000 514 38.5 13.3 47.6
2001 515 40.0 12.9 38.8
2002 562 41.4 13.6 42
2003 562 41.4 13.6 42
2004 560 40.9 13.7 46.3
2005 573 52.7 10.9 n/a
2006 694 51.3 13.5 28.7
2007 569 52.5 10.8 35.1
2008 523 43.0 12.2 44.6
2009 553 44.8 10.5 46.8
2010 476 47.0 10.1 48.5
2011 440 46.5 9.4 59.5
2012 381 50.2 7.5 64.8
2013 346 51.5 6.7 72.3
2014 326 51.5 6.3 76.1
2015 317 49.0 6.4 73.5
2016 319 46.0 6.9 44.2
2017 329 47.0 7.0 54.7
2018 334 46.0 7.2 59.3
2019 374 44.0 8.5 60.7
2020 366 42.0 8.7 64.2
2021 383 41.0 9.3 26.9
2022 399 39.0 10.2 44.4
2023 420 38.0 11.0 52.1
2024 387 40.0 9.6 61.5

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 Salem High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,191 (7.1%) $15,660 (92.9%) $16,851

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Salem High 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 344th of 416 High schoolsRanks 345th of 422 High schools
 0.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Salem High School)36.832.5
 4.3%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (Salem City School District)36.832.5
 4.3%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)55.952.1
 3.8%
9th Grade Algebra I (Salem High School)12.13.7
 8.4%
   9th Grade Algebra I (Salem City School District)12.13.7
 8.4%
   9th Grade Algebra I (New Jersey)27.219.2
 8%
9th Grade Geometry (Salem High School)13.322.2
 8.9%
   9th Grade Geometry (Salem City School District)13.322.2
 8.9%
   9th Grade Geometry (New Jersey)59.150
 9.1%
End of Course Algebra I (Salem High School)11.83.5
 8.3%
   End of Course Algebra I (Salem City School District)10.84.3
 6.5%
   End of Course Algebra I (New Jersey)43.335.1
 8.2%
End of Course Geometry (Salem High School)3.222.2
 19%
   End of Course Geometry (Salem City School District)3.222.2
 19%
   End of Course Geometry (New Jersey)32.251.2
 19%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students374420
 12.3%
African American211218
 3.3%
American Indian14
 300%
Asian23
 50%
Hispanic5066
 32%
Pacific Islander01
White107123
 15%
Two or More Races35
 66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients60.7%52.1%
 8.6%


Schools Near Salem High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Salem High School

Students at Salem High School are 55% African American, 28% White, 14% Hispanic, 2% American Indian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 387 students attended Salem High School.

Salem High School ranks in the bottom 8.7% of New Jersey high schools.

Salem High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : John Fenwick Academy
Middle : Salem Middle 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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