Joseph R. Bolger Middle School

Joseph R. Bolger Middle School is a public middle school located in Keansburg, New Jersey, serving grades 6-8 with 347 students. Unfortunately, this school consistently underperforms compared to state and local standards, ranking in the bottom 20% of New Jersey middle schools with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Joseph R. Bolger Middle School struggles significantly, with only 17.4% of 6th graders, 34.9% of 7th graders, and 30.6% of 8th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 56.1%, 57%, and 57.1%, respectively. The math proficiency rates are even lower, ranging from 6.3% to 14.1% across the grades, far below the state averages of 20.7% to 39.8%. The school also has extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 14.9% to 37.6% over the past few years, which are significantly higher than the state average.

In comparison, nearby schools like Marlboro Memorial Middle School, William R. Satz School, and Bayshore Middle School significantly outperform Joseph R. Bolger Middle School on academic measures, with proficiency rates that are 2-3 times higher in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. These schools also have much lower chronic absenteeism rates and serve student populations with higher socioeconomic status. Despite the school's poor academic performance, it spends a relatively high amount per student compared to the nearby schools, suggesting that the issue may not be solely a lack of funding, but rather how the resources are being utilized and allocated.