How Do James Caldwell and West Essex Compare to State's Top High Schools?

U.S. News and World Report released its 2013 Best High Schools report Tuesday and, alas, James Caldwell and West Essex Regional high schools were not among the magazine's highest achievers. 

So how did the local public schools compare to the rest of the state?

West Essex, which serves students from Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell and Roseland, ranks above the state average in three of the four main categories measured in the report. 

Caldwell, part of the Caldwell-West Caldwell school district, ranks near the state average in the four top categories.

Caldwell has a teacher to student ratio of 15:1, while the West Essex student to teacher ratio is 13:1. Both schools fall near the state average ratio of 14:1.

When it comes to the college readiness index, which looks at how many students participate in Advanced Placement classes, West Essex received an above average rating of 29, while Caldwell got a near average rating of 25.4.

Topping the state were:

1. Biotechnology High School in Freehold — Ranked 8th nationally
2. High Technology High School in Lincroft — Ranked 12th nationally
3. Bergen County Academies in Hackensack — Ranked 34th nationally
4. Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School in Jersey City — Ranked 50th nationally
5. Bergen County Technical High School in Teterboro — Ranked 73rd nationally
6. Mdlsx Co Academy in Edison — Ranked 146th nationally
7. Academy for Allied Health Sciences in Scotch Plains — Ranked 159th nationally
8. West Windsor-​Plainsboro High School South in Princeton — Ranked 162nd nationally
9. Academy of Allied Health and Science in Neptune — Ranked 178th nationally
10. Elizabeth High School in Elizabeth — Ranked 183rd nationally

The magazine measured more than 21,000 public high schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia (Nebraska not included) based on high school proficiency tests and how well the schools prepare students of all backgrounds for college. 

Read more about the methodology.

15.1

811 Students

55 Teachers

25.4

31% Tested AP

24% Passed AP

3.2

87% Proficient

13% Not Proficient

3.2

94% Proficient

6% Not Proficient

13.1

1,025 Students

82 Teachers

29

34% Tested AP

28% Passed AP

3.2

87% Proficient

13% Not Proficient

3.3

96% Proficient

4% Not Proficient

13.1

309 Students

24 Teachers

100

100% Tested

100% Passed

4

100% Proficient 

0% Not Proficient

3.9

100% Proficient

0% Not Proficient

*Avg. Proficiency