Essex County Schools of Technology

The Essex County Schools of Technology includes three high schools serving grades 9–12 in Essex County. In 2025–2026, the schools averaged 58% in grade-nine English, 7 percentage points above the state, and 45% in Algebra I, 23 points above it; but their Geometry average was 48%, slightly below the state’s 50%, and their grade-11 science average was 23% versus 29% statewide. Graduation and attendance indicators were strong: the average graduation rate was 97%, compared with 89% statewide, and average chronic absenteeism was 8%, versus 14%. The most important takeaway is that results vary sharply by subject—especially in Geometry, where the schools’ scores span 46 points.

Payne leads grade-nine English and Algebra I, scoring 68% and 50%; those results are 15 and 7 points above the other schools’ average, respectively. West Caldwell stands out in Geometry at 71%, compared with 46% at Payne and 26% at Newark Technical; West Caldwell is also well above the state’s 50% result. Newark leads the reported grade-11 NJGPA results, with 84% in Mathematics—23 points above the state—and 89% in English, 14 points above the state. Payne has the highest reported science result, 28%, essentially matching the state’s 29%.

Results improved in most subjects from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026: school averages rose 15 points in Algebra I, 14 in Geometry, 7 in science, and 7 in NJGPA Mathematics, while English fell by about 1 point. SchoolDigger ranks Payne 118 of 434 with four stars, Newark Technical 150 with three stars, and West Caldwell 165 with three stars. School profiles differ too: enrollment ranges from 353 at West Caldwell to 1,230 at Payne, while student–teacher ratios range from 10.0 to 13.2. For 2024–2025, free/reduced lunch eligible rates were 66% at West Caldwell, 73% at Payne, and 86% at Newark; these are contextual differences, not explanations for test results.