Summary:
Zip code 07079 has one listed middle school, South Orange Middle School, serving grades 6–8 in the South Orange-Maplewood School District, with 752 students. Its 2025–2026 ELA results were above state results in all three grades, by 22 to 29 percentage points, while math varied sharply by grade. The most important finding for families is the steep drop in math proficiency from 73% in grade 6 to 33% in grade 7 and 10% in grade 8; grade 8 was 12 points below the state.
There is no meaningful top-versus-bottom school comparison because this is the only middle school listed. Within the school, grade 6 ELA was the strongest core result: 80% proficient, 29 points above the state and 7 points above the district. Grade 8 math was the weakest: 10% proficient, compared with 23% statewide. Other strong results include grade 8 science at 34%, 15 points above the state, and Algebra I at the end-of-course level at 81%, 41 points above the state.
Overall ELA and math results improved against state results between 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, though some subjects moved the other way. The average ELA advantage over the state grew from 14 to 24 points, while math shifted from 1 point below to 5 points above; however, grades 7 and 8 math remained below state results. Grade 8 science declined from 36% to 34%, and grade 8 Geometry fell from 79% to 73%. SchoolDigger’s statewide ranking rose from the 69th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 77th percentile in 2025–2026. As context, the school had a 9.7:1 student-teacher ratio and 12% free/reduced lunch eligible in 2024–2025. Because only one school is listed, these figures cannot show how it compares with other local middle schools.
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