Summary:
Zip code 07860, encompassing Newton and several surrounding townships in Sussex County, New Jersey, is home to nine schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, offering a mix of small, rural elementary districts and larger regional high schools.
The standout school for academic excellence is Long Pond School, which ranks in the 85th percentile among New Jersey middle schools and boasts exceptional test scores, with 89.5% of 8th graders proficient in ELA and 60.5% in math, far exceeding state averages. Another top performer is Marian E. McKeown Elementary School, which has improved to a 4-star rating with strong 4th-grade math proficiency at 76.4% and very low chronic absenteeism at 5.1%. In contrast, the Newton Public School District faces significant challenges, with its three schools—Merriam Avenue School, Halsted Middle School, and Newton High School—all showing high chronic absenteeism rates above 20% and test scores consistently below state averages. The two high schools in the area tell a tale of two outcomes: Kittatinny Regional High School has a strong 94.6% graduation rate and low absenteeism, while Newton High School's graduation rate is just 77.7%.
A key takeaway is the strong correlation between low chronic absenteeism and high academic performance, as seen in Frelinghuysen Township Elementary School, which has the area's lowest absenteeism rate at 2.8% and is among the top performers. The smaller, rural districts like Andover Regional School District and Hampton Township School District consistently outperform the more urban Newton district, with lower free/reduced lunch rates and higher test scores. For parents, this data highlights that school choice within 07860 can significantly impact a child's educational experience, with the best outcomes found in the smaller township schools and the regional high school serving them.
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