Best Public Schools in Zip Code 08879

Zip code 08879 has three schools serving grades PK–12: South Amboy Elementary (PK–5), Memorial Elementary School (K–5), and South Amboy Middle/High School (6–12). The results show a varied picture, not one consistent academic experience across the area. Memorial leads the direct elementary comparisons, while South Amboy Middle/High’s NJSLA averages are well below state averages in the tested grades. The clearest overall finding is that results differ substantially by school and grade.

Memorial is the strongest academic standout among the comparable elementary schools: its 2025–2026 averages were 52% in ELA and 61% in math for grades 3–5, compared with 37% and 37% at South Amboy Elementary. Memorial was also above the state averages of 49% in ELA and 47% in math. South Amboy Elementary’s notable exception was grade 3 math, at 52% proficient versus 49% statewide; most of its other tested elementary results were below state figures. Memorial’s grade 5 science result was 36%, compared with 10% at South Amboy Elementary and 27% statewide. South Amboy Middle/High averaged 32% in NJSLA ELA and 15% in math, versus state averages of 53% and 34%. SchoolDigger ranked Memorial at the 63rd percentile, South Amboy Elementary at the 30th, and South Amboy Middle/High at the 26th; the schools serve different grade spans, so the middle/high school’s results are compared with the state, not ranked against the elementary schools.

Recent trends are mixed. At South Amboy Middle/High, the grade 6–9 ELA average rose from 28% to 32% between 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, narrowing its state gap from 27 to 21 points; its grade 6–8 math average fell from 17% to 15%, widening the gap from 16 to 19 points. Grade 11 NJGPA results also reversed: ELA fell from 85% to 73%, and math from 66% to 43%. At Memorial, the grades 3–5 math average rose from 51% to 61%, while ELA fell from 61% to 52%. As context, both elementary schools reported free/reduced lunch eligible for 2024–2025: 35% at Memorial and 62% at South Amboy Elementary; their student-teacher ratios were similar, at 11.7 and 11.9. These are observations, not explanations for the score differences.