Township of Union School District

The Township of Union School District in New Jersey serves students from kindergarten through 12th grade across 10 schools, including 6 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 1 high school. The district as a whole is ranked 426 out of 609 in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Within the district, a few schools stand out for their strong performance. Kawameeh Middle School consistently ranks among the top 331-301 middle schools in New Jersey, earning a 3-star rating and having over 50% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Washington Elementary also performs well, ranking in the top 541-462 elementary schools in the state and earning a 3-star rating with high proficiency rates in core subjects. While Union High School is ranked lower, it still maintains a respectable 91.3% four-year graduation rate and a low 1.0% dropout rate.

However, the data also reveals significant disparities in academic performance across the schools in the district. While some schools excel, others struggle, with much lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics. The varying free/reduced lunch rates suggest that some schools may be serving more economically disadvantaged populations, which could contribute to these differences. Additionally, the consistently high chronic absenteeism rate of 14.9% across all schools is a concern and may be impacting student learning and achievement. The wide range in spending per student, from $7,845 to $12,502, also raises questions about the allocation of resources and whether higher-spending schools are able to provide more support and resources to their students.