Best Public Schools in Elizabeth, NJ

The city of Elizabeth, New Jersey is home to 38 schools that serve students from elementary through high school, all part of the Elizabeth Public Schools district. While the district as a whole is ranked 494 out of 609 districts in New Jersey and rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger, a few standout schools demonstrate the potential for improvement across the district.

Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy is the highest performing high school in the district, ranked 144 out of 434 high schools in the state and rated 3 stars. It boasts strong test scores, with 96.4% of 9th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts and 59.4% proficient or better in Geometry. At the elementary level, Victor Mravlag School No. 21 is the top performer, ranked 692 out of 1,347 elementary schools and rated 2 stars, with 81.7% of 7th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts and 61.5% of 3rd graders proficient or better in Mathematics.

However, the district faces significant challenges, with most schools struggling to meet state averages in test scores, particularly in Mathematics. The district-wide 4-year graduation rate of 91.3% is on par with the state, but the chronic absenteeism rate of 14.9% is higher. Additionally, the district has very high rates of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating high levels of economic disadvantage that likely impact student learning and achievement. While the data reveals uneven educational opportunities across the district, the presence of high-performing schools suggests that with the right strategies and interventions, other schools in the Elizabeth Public Schools district could see significant improvements.