The Best and Worst Schools Every Parent in NJ Should Know About

See which New Jersey schools rank the lowest in performance
Find out where violence and bullying are most reported
Discover the top-rated elementary and high schools in the state

Back-to-school Season in NJ

If you're like me, you're sitting here wondering where the summer of 2026 went.

I mean, it felt like Memorial Day Weekend was just a couple of weeks ago, and now we're already looking at the official end of summer.

A look at local summer in Ocean City, NJ: Empty beaches - Photo: Chris Coleman

READ MORE: Don’t Fall for the $100 Electric Bill Scam in New Jersey

You've done your back-to-school shopping (how much did you spend this year?!), the engines of school buses are rumbling through your neighborhood, and the high school football season is well underway -- it's an exciting time of year.

A look at local summer in Ocean City, NJ: Ocean City High School football practice - Photo: Chris Coleman

Even though public schools in New Jersey typically rank as some of the best in the nation, not all of them are perfect.

We recently took a deep dive into some statistics and determined what the best and worst schools in the Garden State are, including the worst overall, the worst schools for bullying, and the best elementary and high schools across New Jersey.

Worst Public Schools in NJ

Worst 30 public schools in New Jersey

These are the 30 lowest-ranking public and charter schools in New Jersey based on the 2022-23 summative ratings provided by the state Department of Education's annual NJ School Performance Report. The schools are listed in descending order, with the lowest rating being zero.

Gallery Credit: Rick Rickman

Most Violent Schools in NJ

Top 30 schools most violent schools in New Jersey

These are the schools in New Jersey with the highest rates of violence. The rankings are based on the annual School Performance Reports for the 2021-22 school year. New Jersey 101.5 ranked the schools based on the rate of reported violent incidents per 100 students. Schools with enrolment less than 100 are excluded.

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5

Best Elementary Schools in NJ

Best elementary schools in New Jersey (2024)

In November 2024, U.S. News & World Report released its list of the best elementary schools in New Jersey.

Gallery Credit: Dino Flammia

Best High Schools in NJ

The 22 Best Public High Schools in NJ

Did your high school make the list of rankings?

Gallery Credit: Gianna

Worst Public Schools in New Jersey 2025-2026, Most Violent Schools in NJ 2025-2026, Best Elementary Schools in NJ 2025-2026 school year, Best High Schools in NJ 2025-2026