The 30 Best — and 30 Worst — Public Schools in New Jersey

You can find "best" and "worst" lists about New Jersey schools across the internet. The lists in this article, however, are based on official data from the state Department of Education.

The state’s latest education “report cards” for schools reflect a gradual return to normal from the height of the pandemic, a Townsquare Media review last year of the data revealed.

The most recent data is for the 2021-22 school year, the first year that schools returned for full in-person education after the pandemic.

The 30 worst-performing schools stretch across seven counties. The worst performing school on the list was a charter school that the state ordered to be closed last year. See list below.

The 30 best schools, meanwhile, are concentrated in just 10 counties. strong>See list below.

The ratings are calculated by the state and are based on test scores in language arts and math, as well as on attendance.

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