Summary:
The 08066 zip code area is home to 5 schools, including 2 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school. While the schools in this area face significant academic challenges, West Deptford Middle School stands out as the highest-performing school, ranking in the top 30% of New Jersey middle schools. In contrast, the Paulsboro High School ranks in the bottom 5% of New Jersey high schools, despite having a relatively high 4-year graduation rate of 91.3% and a low dropout rate of 1.0%.
The data reveals significant performance gaps between the schools in the 08066 zip code area and the state averages, particularly in the Paulsboro School District. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts at Paulsboro High School was only 9.3%, compared to the state average of 49.9%. These schools also face high rates of poverty, with free and reduced-price lunch recipients ranging from 46.82% at Paulsboro High School to 74.38% at Billingsport Elementary School.
Addressing the socioeconomic and attendance issues in the Paulsboro schools may be crucial to improving their academic outcomes. All of the schools in the data set have relatively high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 14.9% to 14.9%, which is closely linked to lower academic achievement and higher dropout rates. Further analysis of the relationship between school spending and performance could provide valuable insights for the district, as the spending per student varies across the schools, with Loudenslager Elementary School having the lowest spending at $7,818 per student and West Deptford Middle School having the highest at $11,057 per student.
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