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LongWindedInNJ t1_j2dvmb7 wrote

Generally considered one of the best states for public schools, nationally. But within the state it really depends on the town.

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aden_feifdom t1_j2dyp7u wrote

it’s a good question and it is totally up to you on what you consider to be “good”. for some, it is rankings and test scores. for others it might be the conditions inside the building. i sent my kids to a urban school in a blue collar district and was really happy with the administration, education, and programs. the town was a little “rough”. we then moved to a “good school” town in northern bergen county and found the administration to be rude, snotty, entitled, anti-parent. so in my case, the good school wasn’t as good as the urban school in my opinion. i was in the minority because other parents thought the schools were just dandy.

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pabut t1_j2dzm4g wrote

There are ~550 distinct school districts…. Lots of variability there.

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TheRacoonist t1_j2dznu6 wrote

The best! We're in a constant struggle with MA for number one ranking

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Dawgfish_Head t1_j2dzshw wrote

Everything that’s been said already is true the quality of schools will vary from town to town.

Speaking as a teacher though, the biggest factor to how your child does is how involved you are in their educations. Your kids could be in a mediocre school and they’ll rise to the top and be successful if you’re involved.

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The0riginator t1_j2e07n8 wrote

Probably overcrowded just like the state

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mikeypoopypants t1_j2e1jbw wrote

The fact that you’re asking this question means your kid will do fine. Keep caring this much for the next 18 years. The schools have amazing resources. It’s your job to make sure your kid takes advantage of them .

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mikeypoopypants t1_j2e1kvg wrote

The fact that you’re asking this question means your kid will do fine. Keep caring this much for the next 18 years. The schools have amazing resources. It’s your job to make sure your kid takes advantage of them .

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bakerfaceman t1_j2e1op3 wrote

Really good in general. I use Greatschools.org and Niche to check individual towns. Those aren't perfect so if you seriously consider moving, talk to folks in the town.

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HeyItsPanda69 t1_j2e2vdi wrote

We're usually the best in the country. But that's overall. You'd need to look at the specific district as there's good and bad in every state.

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sirzoop t1_j2e3wdf wrote

Best in the USA but if you expect them to teach your kids any valuable life skills other than how to get into college don't get your hopes up

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missalaneous t1_j2e4qqa wrote

It depends on the district. It’s important to know that NJ has over 500 school districts, which isn’t typical of other states. Your experience will vary based on which town you live in.

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unomoes t1_j2e6f7h wrote

Doesn’t matter really, every school has their implicit biases, good and bad teachers, good and bad kids. Find where you want to live and make it a good experience for your kid. If you don’t like something be active and change it.

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Leftblankthistime t1_j2e6rgm wrote

Replying to LongWindedInNJ (#1,228,103)

This! Also, watch out for towns that “used to be good” a lot of towns went downhill after getting great ratings because they scaled back investments, or because drugs or racism got out of control- especially in the more well to do towns. Look for more that are “getting good” because the upward and downward momentum quite frequently only continue in their existing direction.

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BacktotheFutureTmw t1_j2e7tts wrote

They are great, but lots of variables as we have 500+ districts here. Students play a role in their learning as well. I know that back in the day, I definitely hindered my ability as a teen. Which districts do you want to know more about?

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financialanon t1_j2e8n14 wrote

Replying to LongWindedInNJ (#1,228,103)

And its generally correlates to price. So good districts are expensive, but an average district in NJ is better than a good district many places.

I think of it more like there are districts to avoid, usually more urban, but otherwise they are really good.

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Telnet_to_the_Mind t1_j2ec3wt wrote

? How vague of a question can you make? It varies district to district, town to town. THis is like asking "How are human beings?" Narrow it down, what are 'good' for you? what area? what ages?

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Leftblankthistime t1_j2edk0z wrote

Replying to LucaNinja7 (#1,233,608)

Aw c’mon I don’t like to name names but if the town is known for having a reality tv personality or low level celebrity live there, it’s definitely sus.

Lol downvotes… must have hit someone a little too close to the country club

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TheJesusSixSixSix t1_j2eh8dr wrote

Overly political yet littered with opportunity depend on the town.

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AnNJgal t1_j2ekxqc wrote

It depends on where and how active you are as a parent. It's about partnering with teachers and doing your part at home.

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BrainFraud90 t1_j2em7rc wrote

Don't get too caught up on the absolute rankings of the districts either. These rankings will change from year to year but you will usually see the same districts up there in the top 50.

The key is finding a municipality where the residents consider investment in the schools to be a top priority and fortunately we have many.

What's important is moving into a school community that works for you. This means factoring in things like language programs, sports programs, music programs, a good HSA, etc. And the housing prices and and local taxes have to work for your personal situation.

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likesomecatfromjapan t1_j2eosf2 wrote

I've worked in a variety of NJ schools in different capacities. It really depends on the town and even then, it can vary from school to school. I was an Instructional Coach/consultant at 3 different schools in Newark. One school was amazing and the other two were a mess. In my current district (which has an overall good reputation), the high school is really good whereas my school is known to be a mess. 🤣 Generally, the schools here are great.

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ThatBitch1984 t1_j2ezvxa wrote

Replying to NJ_Bus_Nut (#1,227,501)

Yes but it appears that OP is from Texas. After living in Texas in one of the best school districts I’m comfortable saying that even some of our worst districts are better than almost all of the Texas public schools.

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Hdys t1_j2ffbxw wrote

One of, it not the best in the country

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ChromeCalamari t1_j2fph44 wrote

Replying to Dawgfish_Head (#1,229,489)

This was my impression when looking at the data while house hunting. The less exceptional districts weren't necessarily bad, but more reliant on parental involvement. And so the average performance would be lower as more households in those areas were also more reliant on both parents working and not having as much time to focus on their children's educations.

Just my interpretation of the data available to me, would much prefer the experience of the teachers working on the front lines

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Dawgfish_Head t1_j2fqswp wrote

Replying to ChromeCalamari (#1,252,936)

If you’re interested in data I would look at the District factor groupings. District factor groups are created by looking at the following:

  1. Percent of adults with no high school diploma
  2. Percent of adults with some college education
  3. Occupational status
  4. Unemployment rate
  5. Percent of individuals in poverty
  6. Median family income.

Highest scoring districts are ranked J and lowest are ranked A. Typically J and I districts will have the higher test scores.

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MeggieZND t1_j2fw4ei wrote

Overall, the NJ public school system is excellent. We live in a town with high taxes, but we chose it because of the public schools. I was raised in a neighboring town called Allendale, which also has very good schools. Some districts are very big, others are smaller. For example, my son just started high school and there are a LOT of students and it's an open campus with plenty of freedom - something that is foreign to me. There are a lot of great towns and schools to choose from. Just do your research and I'm sure you will find the right fit.

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