Summary:
Schools in ZIP code 07079 include four schools serving kindergarten through grade 12: two K–5 elementary schools, one middle school and one high school, across two districts. In 2025–26, the elementary schools and middle school averaged above state results in ELA and math, but the middle-school math picture is uneven: grade 6 was well above state, while grades 7 and 8 fell below it. The clearest concern in the area’s results is that middle-school math drops off after grade 6.
Marshall Elementary School is the elementary standout, scoring higher than South Mountain Elementary School in every reported ELA and math grade and in grade 5 science. Marshall’s grade 5 leads were 23 percentage points in ELA, 30 in math and 32 in science; both elementary schools nevertheless scored above state in every reported ELA and math grade. South Orange Middle School was strong in ELA, 21.6–28.6 percentage points above state, but its math results ranged from 32 points above state in grade 6 to 6 and 12 points below in grades 7 and 8. At the high-school level, STEM Innovation Academy of the Oranges reported 98% proficiency in grade 9 ELA and 77% in grade 11 science, respectively 46 and 49 points above state.
Trends differ by school level: on tests reported in both years, the elementary schools’ average advantage over state narrowed by 2 points in ELA and 4 in math, while South Orange Middle’s ELA advantage widened by 10 points and its math gap improved by 6. STEM’s reported ELA, Geometry and science results rose by 7, 21 and 19 points. SchoolDigger ranks STEM at the 98th percentile, Marshall at the 92nd, South Orange Middle at the 77th and South Mountain at the 76th in 2025–26; earlier rankings show some fluctuation. In 2024–25, free/reduced lunch eligible shares were 71% at STEM, 9% at Marshall, 6% at South Mountain and 12% at South Orange Middle. Student–teacher ratios ranged from 9.7 at South Orange Middle to 12.9 at Marshall; these figures offer context, not an explanation for test results.
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