Public education in New Jersey
| K-12 education in New Jersey | |
 | |
| Education facts | |
| State superintendent: Kevin Dehmer | |
| Number of students: 1,321,709 | |
| Number of teachers: 109,282 | |
| Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:12 | |
| Number of school districts: 546 | |
| Number of schools: 2,312 | |
| Graduation rate: 91% | |
| Per-pupil spending: $20,670 | |
| See also | |
| New Jersey Department of Education • List of school districts in New Jersey • New Jersey • School boards portal | |
 | |
Public education in the United States Public education in New Jersey Glossary of education terms | |
| Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given were the most recent as of June 2015. | |
The New Jersey public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, New Jersey had 1,321,709 students enrolled in a total of 2,312 schools in 546 school districts. There were 109,282 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 12 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, New Jersey spent on average $20,670 per pupil.[1] The state's graduation rate was 91 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.[2]
General information
- See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states
The following chart shows how New Jersey compares to the national level for the most recent years for which data is available.
| Public education in New Jersey | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Schools | Districts | Students | Teachers | Teacher-to-pupil ratio | Per pupil spending* | |
| New Jersey | 2,312 | 546 | 1,321,709 | 109,282 | 1:12 | $20,670 | |
| United States | 90,323 | 13,194 | 47,755,383 | 2,783,705 | 1:16 | $13,494 | |
| *Per pupil spending data reflects information reported for fiscal year 2020. Sources: Education statistics in the United States | |||||||
Academic performance
The sections below do not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.
| Education terms |
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| For more information on education policy terms, see this article. |
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NAEP scores
- See also: NAEP scores by state
The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The chart below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania), New Jersey had the highest percentage of students scoring at or above proficient in all categories.[3]
| Percent of students scoring at or above proficient, 2012-2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math - Grade 4 | Math - Grade 8 | Reading - Grade 4 | Reading - Grade 8 | |
| New Jersey | 49% | 49% | 42% | 46% |
| Delaware | 42% | 33% | 38% | 33% |
| New York | 40% | 32% | 37% | 35% |
| Pennsylvania | 44% | 42% | 40% | 42% |
| United States | 41% | 34% | 34% | 34% |
| Source: United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables" | ||||
Graduation, ACT and SAT scores
The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for New Jersey and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.[3][4][5]
In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.[6]
New Jersey schools reported a graduation rate of 87.5 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, highest among its neighboring states.
In New Jersey, more students took the SAT than the ACT in 2013, earning an average SAT score of 1521.
| Comparison table for graduation rates and test scores, 2012-2013 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Graduation rate, 2013 | Average ACT composite, 2013 | Average SAT composite, 2013 | ||||
| Percent | Quintile ranking** | Score | Participation rate | Score | Participation rate | ||
| New Jersey | 87.5% | First | 23 | 23% | 1521 | 78% | |
| Delaware | 80.4% | Fourth | 22.9 | 15% | 1351 | 100% | |
| New York | 76.8% | Fourth | 23.4 | 26% | 1463 | 76% | |
| Pennsylvania | 85.5% | Second | 22.7 | 18% | 1480 | 71% | |
| United States | 81.4% | 20.9 | 54% | 1498 | 50% | ||
| **Graduation rates for states in the first quintile ranked in the top 20 percent nationally. Similarly, graduation rates for states in the fifth quintile ranked in the bottom 20 percent nationally. Sources: United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express" ACT.org, "2013 ACT National and State Scores" The Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT scores by state, 2013" | |||||||
Dropout rate
- See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states
The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for New Jersey was lower than the national average at 1.4 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 1.4 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.[7]
Educational choice options
- See also: School choice in New Jersey
As of June 2015 school choice options in New Jersey included charter schools, homeschooling, online learning, private schools and a voluntary inter-district public school open enrollment policy.
Developments
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)
On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.[8]
In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.[9]
The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.
New Jersey is not one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.
Education funding and expenditures
- See also: New Jersey state budget and finances
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers
According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.[10][11]
New Jersey spent approximately 24.9 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. School system revenue came primarily from local funds. New Jersey spent a larger percentage of its total budget on public education than any of its neighboring states.
| Comparison of financial figures for school systems, fiscal year 2013 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Percentage of budget | Per pupil spending | Revenue sources | ||||
| Percent federal funds | Percent state funds | Percent local funds | |||||
| New Jersey | 24.9% | $17,572 | 4.1% | 38.7% | 57.2% | ||
| Delaware | 24.3% | $13,833 | 8% | 59.8% | 32.2% | ||
| New York | 19.3% | $19,818 | 5.6% | 39.8% | 54.6% | ||
| Pennsylvania | 14.9% | $13,864 | 7.6% | 36.1% | 56.3% | ||
| United States | 19.8% | $10,700 | 9.1% | 45.6% | 45.3% | ||
| Sources: NASBO, "State Expenditure Report" (Table 8). U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 5 and Table 8). | |||||||
Revenue breakdowns
- See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.
According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.[11]
In New Jersey, the primary source of school system revenue was local funding during fiscal year 2013, at $15.5 billion. New Jersey reported about the same total public education revenue as Pennsylvania. This was the second highest amount, after New York, when comparing nearby states.
| Revenues by source, fiscal year 2013 (amounts in thousands) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Federal revenue | State revenue | Local revenue | Total revenue |
| New Jersey | $1,120,771 | $10,458,175 | $15,449,220 | $27,028,166 |
| Delaware | $151,096 | $1,124,112 | $604,386 | $1,879,594 |
| New York | $3,335,657 | $23,632,698 | $32,430,464 | $59,398,819 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,049,113 | $9,764,558 | $15,210,613 | $27,024,284 |
| United States | $54,367,305 | $272,916,892 | $270,645,402 | $597,929,599 |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 1) | ||||
| Public school revenues by source, fiscal year 2013 (as percents) |
|---|
Expenditure breakdowns
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.[12]
Public education expenditures in New Jersey totaled approximately $26.1 billion in fiscal year 2012. New Jersey reported slightly lower total public education expenditures than Pennsylvania. New Jersey's expenditures were the second lowest when compared to its neighboring states.
The table and chart below present further detail, including expenditure types, for New Jersey and surrounding states.
| Expenditures by type, fiscal year 2012 (amounts in thousands) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | General expenditures | Capital outlay | Other | Total expenditures |
| New Jersey | $24,391,278 | $912,022 | $828,162 | $26,131,462 |
| Delaware | $1,751,143 | $160,863 | $66,556 | $1,978,562 |
| New York | $52,460,494 | $2,097,414 | $3,538,973 | $58,096,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $23,190,198 | $1,822,157 | $1,584,480 | $26,596,835 |
| United States | $527,096,473 | $48,773,386 | $25,897,123 | $601,766,981 |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)" (Table 5) | ||||
| Public school expenditures, fiscal year 2012 (as percents) |
|---|
Personnel salaries
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in New Jersey, the average salary decreased by 3.2 percent.[14]
| Estimated average salaries for teachers (in constant dollars**) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000 | 2009-2010 | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | Percent difference | |
| New Jersey | $71,083 | $69,523 | $68,194 | $68,797 | -3.2% |
| Delaware | $60,724 | $60,930 | $59,779 | $59,679 | -1.7% |
| New York | $69,723 | $76,464 | $74,620 | $75,279 | 8.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $66,035 | $63,146 | $62,965 | $63,521 | -3.8% |
| United States | $57,133 | $58,925 | $56,340 | $56,383 | -1.3% |
| **"Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. The CPI does not account for differences in inflation rates from state to state." | |||||
Organizations
State agencies
- See also: New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education is led by the New Jersey Commissioner of Education. There are seven divisions or officers that fall directly under the Commissioner of Education, including: Student Services and Career Readiness, the Chief Innovation Officer, the Chief Performance Officer, the Chief Talent Officer, the Chief Academic Officer, Field Services and Administration and Finance.[15]
The New Jersey State Board of Education has 13 members who are appointed by the governor with the consent of the New Jersey State Senate. Members serve six-year terms without compensation. The State Board of Education also includes a nonvoting student representative who is selected annually by the New Jersey Association of Student Councils. The New Jersey Commissioner of Education serves as the State Board of Education's secretary and official agent. As chief executive school officer, the Commissioner of Education is part of the governor's cabinet. David Hespe was first appointed as commissioner in 2014.[16][17]
The mission statement of the New Jersey State Board of Education reads:[18]
| “ | Provide leadership to achieve excellence in New Jersey public education. Engage legislators, school administrators, teachers, students, parents, and other stakeholders in formulating policies that enhance education, empower families, and broaden opportunities for students.[19] | ” |
Unions
In 2012, the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. New Jersey ranked seventh overall for union power and influence, or "strongest," which was in the first tier of five.[20]
The main union related to the New Jersey school system is the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA). NJEA is the largest education association in the state.
List of local New Jersey school unions:[21]
- New Jersey Education Association
- Newark Teachers Union
- New Jersey State Federation of Teachers
- Perth Amboy Federation AFT
- Federation of Rowan College Educators
- Upper Montclair AFT
- William Paterson Federation of College Teachers Local 1796
Government sector lobbying
- See also: New Jersey government sector lobbying
The main education government sector lobbying organization is the New Jersey School Boards Association.
Studies and reports
Quality Counts 2014
- See also: Education Week survey
Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:
- Chance for success
- K-12 achievement
- Standards, assessments and accountability
- The teaching profession
- School finance
- Transitions and alignment
Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.
New Jersey received a score of 88.2, or a B+ average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. Except for the "chance for success" category, the state's highest score was in "school finance" at 84.5, or a B average. The lowest score was in "the teaching profession" at 67.2, or a B average. New Jersey had the second highest score in the "chance for success" category in the country. The chart below displays the scores of New Jersey and its surrounding states.[22]
Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.
| Public education report cards, 2014 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Chance for success | K-12 achievement | Standards, assessments and accountability | The teaching profession | School finance | Transitions and alignment |
| New Jersey | 88.2 (B+) | 82.1 (B-) | 75.5 (C) | 67.2 (D+) | 84.5 (B) | 82.1 (B-) |
| Delaware | 79.8 (B-) | 68.5 (D+) | 87.5 (B+) | 74.4 (C) | 80.0 (B-) | 78.6 (C+) |
| New York | 81.0 (B-) | 70.2 (C-) | 92.0 (A-) | 81.5 (B-) | 87.2 (B+) | 85.7 (B) |
| Pennsylvania | 82.6 (B) | 75.6 (C) | 77.7 (C+) | 74.6 (C) | 82.0 (B-) | 78.6 (C+) |
| United States average | 77.3 (C+) | 70.2 (C-) | 85.3 (B) | 72.5 (C) | 75.5 (C) | 81.1 (B-) |
| Source: Education Week, "Quality Counts 2014" A full discussion of how these numbers were generated can be found here. | ||||||
State Budget Solutions education study
State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.
School districts
- See also: School board elections portal
District types
New Jersey contains two primary types of school districts and several variations:[23]
- Type 1 districts are dependent on municipal, township or county governments or the state government for fiscal management or school board appointments or both, depending on the district.
- Type 2 districts are traditional districts with an elected governing body that can change tax levies and issue bonds for voter approval.
- Consolidated districts are a Type 2 district variant that were formed from two or more school districts in the past.
- All purpose regional districts are a Type 2 district variant that provides all school services in a region and thereby replace any other Type 1 or Type 2 districts in the area.
- Limited regional districts are a Type 2 district variant that provides a limited number of specialized services for other school districts in the region.
School board composition
New Jersey school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although some school board members are appointed. New Jersey school board elections typically follow one of these three methods, or a mixture thereof:
- At-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, regardless of geographic location.
- Trustee area: Only voters residing in a specific geographic area within the school district may vote on certain candidates, who must also reside in that specific geographic area.
- Trustee area at-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, but candidates must reside in specific geographic areas within the school district.
School boards typically consist of seven or nine members. School board members serve three-year terms.[24]
Term limits
New Jersey does not impose statewide term limits on school board members.[25]
Elections
- See also: New Jersey school board elections, 2024
The table below contains links to all school board elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2024 in this state. This list may not include all school districts with elections in 2024. Ballotpedia's coverage includes all school districts in the 100 largest cities by population and the 200 largest school districts by student enrollment.
Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.
| 2024 New Jersey School Board Elections | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Primary | General Election | General Runoff Election | Regular term length | Seats up for election | Total board seats | 2017-2018 enrollment |
| Jersey City Public Schools | N/A | 11/5/2024 | N/A | 3 | 3 | 9 | 27,073 |
| Newark Public Schools | N/A | 4/16/2024 | N/A | 3 | 4 | 9 | 35,713 |
Path to the ballot
To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in New Jersey, a person must be:[24]
- Able to read and write
- A resident of the school district for at least one year before filing for office
- Registered to vote in the school district before filing for office
A person must not be:
- Serving in another elected office
- Serving as a mayor or as part of a municipal or county governing body
- Convicted of certain crimes
- Involved in a claim against the board
- Holding or having a stake in a contract with the board
The process of running for office as a school board candidate begins with filing nomination petitions that include a minimum of 10 signatures from qualified voters in the district. Petitions must be filed with the secretary of the board if it is for an April election or with the county clerk if it is for a November election. Candidates must also adhere to all campaign finance reporting requirements to stay on the ballot.[24]
Campaign finance
New Jersey requires all school board candidates who receive contributions of any amount to file a "Certificate of Organization and Designation of Campaign Treasurer and Depository" form with the Election Law Enforcement Commission. Campaign finance reporting deadlines vary according to whether the district holds its elections in April or November.[24]
Recent legislation
The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the New Jersey state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
- Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.
Education ballot measures
- See also: Education on the ballot and List of New Jersey ballot measures
As of June 2014, there were no education ballot measures in New Jersey.
In the news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms New Jersey education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Historical public education information in New Jersey
- New Jersey state budget and finances
- New Jersey Department of Education
- List of school districts in New Jersey
- School choice in New Jersey
- Charter schools in New Jersey
- New Jersey
- Education Policy in the U.S.
External links
- New Jersey Department of Education
- State Board of Education
- State School Report Card
- New Jersey School Surveys, Reports, Data
- New Jersey Public School Ratings by PSK12
- New Jersey Public School Ratings by Great Schools
Footnotes
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "U.S. School System Current Spending Per Pupil by Region: Fiscal Year 2020," May 18, 2022
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Fast Facts: High school graduation rates," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables," accessed May 13, 2014
- ↑ ACT, "2012 ACT National and State Scores," accessed May 13, 2014
- ↑ Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT Scores by State 2013," October 10, 2013
- ↑ StudyPoints, "What's a good SAT score or ACT score?" accessed June 7, 2015
- ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Dropout and Graduation Rate Data File, School Year 2010-11, Provision Version 1a and School Year 2011-12, Preliminary Version 1a," accessed May 13, 2014
- ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue: "Petition for a writ of certiorari," accessed July 3, 2019
- ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, decided June 30, 2020
- ↑ NASBO, "State Expenditure Report," accessed July 2, 2015
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports," accessed July 2, 2015
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)," accessed July 2, 2015
- ↑ Maciver Institute, "REPORT: How much are teachers really paid?" accessed October 29, 2014
- ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 211.60. Estimated average annual salary of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools, by state: Selected years, 1969-70 through 2012-13," accessed May 13, 2014
- ↑ New Jersey Department of Education, "NJ Department of Education Organization Chart," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ New Jersey Department of Education, "New Jersey State Board of Education," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ New Jersey Department of Education, "Office of the Commissioner," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ New Jersey Department of Education, "New Jersey State Board of Education Vision and Mission," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Thomas E Fordham Institute, "How Strong Are U.S. Teacher Unions? A State-By-State Comparison," October 29, 2012
- ↑ Center for Union Facts, "New Jersey unions," accessed October 14, 2009 (dead link)
- ↑ Education Week "Quality Counts 2014," accessed February 19, 2015
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "New Jersey," accessed July 11, 2014
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 New Jersey School Boards Association, "How to Become a School Board Member," accessed July 11, 2014
- ↑ National School Boards Association, "Survey of the State School Boards Associations on Term Limits for Local Board Members," accessed July 8, 2014
