Here Is How Washington Schools Were Graded On New State Report

Washington Township schools and the high school were ranked on the top half of a controversial rating system that educators say paints an incomplete picture of the state's 2,100 schools.

The schools are rated on a 1-100 scale. The ratings, which were released Wednesday, were established to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaced the controversial No Child Left Behind Act.

The ratings for high schools are based on graduation and absenteeism rates and PARCC scores, while elementary and middle school scores are based on absenteeism, PARCC and student progress on PARCC tests, according to the state Department of Education.

Patch obtained the "summative scores" from the state Department of Education, which shows schools in Cresskill, Millburn and Fair Haven as having the highest scores, getting a 96.73 or higher. Schools Washington Township residents attend, including the high school, range from 88.59 to 56.59.

"At first glance, it appears that all of our schools are demonstrating progress based on the now former PARCC Assessments ... and in certain cases excelling. Old Farmers Road School, according to the data, is often exceeding the State's achievement standards in the area of mathematics with regard to student achievement and growth," Washington Township superintendent Jeffrey Mohre said, saying that could explain why OFRS is over 550 spots ahead of the next-ranked Washington school.

"Another factor in the State's ranking is chronic absenteeism; however, there is no significant differences in the chronic absenteeism rates among our schools. OFRS' ranking goes hand-in-hand with its National Blue Ribbon School status," Mohre said.

West Morris Regional Superintendent Michael Ben-David said he was "not disappointed" in how the West Morris Regional schools did but cautioned against putting too much stock in the rankings, which put elementary, middle, and high schools on the same standard, and include both magnet, charter, and public schools. He pointed out that looking at only non-magnet public high schools would put both West Morris schools in the top 25.

"Any ranking that doesn't tease out [difference in schools] is problematic," he said.

Including the much-maligned PARCC standardized test as a measure of school excellence was also a hindrance on the rankings, Ben-David said, noting that some students utilized the alternate paths to graduation and choose to skip the test.

Based on the reports, it appears that schools that finished with at least a 50 score could be considered average. Schools that finish in the top 20 percent are considered above average.
Washington schools received the following scores and overall rankings (out of 2,088 schools):

• 72. OLD FARMERS ROAD SCHOOL, WASHINGTON TWP, MORRIS 88.59
• 74. WEST MORRIS CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, WEST MORRIS REGIONAL, MORRIS 88.49
• 215. WEST MORRIS MENDHAM HIGH SCHOOL, WEST MORRIS REGIONAL, MORRIS 79.30

• 624. BENEDICT A. CUCINELLA SCHOOL, WASHINGTON TWP, MORRIS 62.76
• 760. FLOCKTOWN-KOSSMANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WASHINGTON TWP, MORRIS 59.08
• 852. LONG VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL, WASHINGTON TWP, MORRIS 56.59

Schools that have third grade or higher also have "summative percentile rating," which shows how they compare to other high schools, middle and elementary schools. Those give elementary schools more weight in their scoring because they don't have the exact same criteria as high schools (like graduation rates).

The summative percentile ratings, and their statewide rankings are:

• 61. OLD FARMERS ROAD SCHOOL, WASHINGTON TWP, MORRIS 97.16
• 127. WEST MORRIS CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, WEST MORRIS REGIONAL, MORRIS 93.98
• 289. WEST MORRIS MENDHAM HIGH SCHOOL, WEST MORRIS REGIONAL, MORRIS 86.25

• 608. BENEDICT A. CUCINELLA SCHOOL, WASHINGTON TWP, MORRIS 70.91
• 748. FLOCKTOWN-KOSSMANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WASHINGTON TWP, MORRIS 64.22
• 839. LONG VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL, WASHINGTON TWP, MORRIS 59.89

With previous reporting by Tom Davis, Dan Hubbard