Summary:
The city of Atlantic City, New Jersey is home to 11 schools, including 10 elementary schools and 1 high school. The schools in this district serve a predominantly economically disadvantaged student population, with high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients across the board. While the district faces significant challenges, a few schools stand out as strong performers, including Richmond Avenue School and Chelsea Heights School, which consistently outperform the district and state averages on standardized tests.
The data reveals a wide gap in academic performance between the highest-performing and lowest-performing schools in the Atlantic City School District. While Atlantic City High School boasts a strong 91.3% four-year graduation rate, its test scores lag behind, with only 24-48% proficiency in English Language Arts and 3-21% proficiency in Mathematics. In contrast, schools like Richmond Avenue and Chelsea Heights have 60-80% and 50-60% proficiency rates, respectively, placing them in the top 30% and top 50% of New Jersey elementary schools.
Chronic absenteeism is a significant concern across the district, with all schools reporting a 14.9% rate, higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, the data suggests that higher spending per student does not necessarily translate to better academic outcomes, as evidenced by the high-spending but low-performing Venice Park School. Overall, the data provides a nuanced understanding of the educational landscape in Atlantic City, highlighting both areas of success and the significant challenges the district must address to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education.
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