Chatham Schools Among NJ’s Top 200 For Grades K-8: U.S. News

CHATHAM, NJ — Chatham Township’s Elementary Schools have been ranked among the top 200 elementary schools statewide, with the middle school among the top 55 in New Jersey, according to a brand-new ranking released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

For the inaugural list, U.S. News published rankings and data on more than 80,000 public elementary and middle schools across the United States.

Schools are ranked at the state and district levels. The best charter schools and best magnet schools ranked as stand-alone categories.

U.S. News placed Milton Avenue School, Southern Boulevard School, Washington Avenue School and Chatham Middle School, as some of the highest in the state among New Jersey schools, according to the new list.

Southern Boulevard School was ranked number 132 statewide for elementary schools, with Milton Avenue School at 147 of 1,370 schools in state rankings; and Washington Avenue School at 155 of all of New Jersey's elementary schools. Chatham Middle School placed 53 of the state's 715 middle schools that made the list.

Here’s a look at where Southern Boulevard School placed among five elementary schools on the list statewide:
130: Ridgewood Avenue School, Glen Ridge Public School District
131: Calvin Coolidge Elementary School, Wyckoff Township Public School District
132: Southern Boulevard School, School District of the Chathams
133: Point Road School, Little Silver Boro School District
134: West Ridge Elementary School, Park Ridge School District

Here’s a look at where Milton Avenue Elementary School placed among five elementary schools on the list statewide:
146: Bear Tavern Elementary School, Hopewell Valley Regional School District
147: Milton Avenue Elementary School, School District of the Chathams
148: Central Elementary School, East Brunswick Township School District
149: Stonybrook Elementary School, Kinnelon School District
150: Catherine E. Doyle Elementary School, Wood-Ridge School District

Here’s a look at where Washington Avenue School placed among five elementary schools on the list statewide:
151: Hoboken Dual Language Charter School, Hoboken Dual Language Charter School District
152: Lake Hiawatha Elementary School, Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District
153: J.V.B. Wicoff Elementary School, West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
154: Pace Charter School of Hamilton, Pace Charter School of Hamilton
155: Washington Avenue School, School District of the Chathams

Here’s a look at how Chatham Middle School placed among five middle schools on the list statewide:
50: William F. Halloran School No. 22, Elizabeth Public Schools
51: Central Jersey College Prep Charter School, Central Jersey College Prep Charter School
52: Northvale Public School, Northvale Public School District
53: Chatham Middle School, School District of the Chathams
54: Madison Junior School, Madison Public School District

To determine the rankings, U.S. News used data from the U.S. Department of Education to analyze two areas at each school:

• Math and reading proficiency — or how well students perform on state assessments.
• Math and reading performance — or how well they perform compared with expectations.

The state assessment data used in the rankings is from the 2018-19 school year and, therefore, predates any effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on test-taking.

Nationally, California has 5,534 ranked elementary schools — the most of any state — followed by Texas at 4,446; New York at 2,211; Florida at 2,128; and Illinois at 2,038 schools.

California also has the most ranked middle schools with 2,319, followed by Texas at 1,942; Illinois at 1,243; New York at 1,219; and Florida at 997.

See the complete list of 2021’s Best K-8 Schools.