📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NJSLA 2024–25), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
Top 25 Districts New Jersey
Sorted by rating — highest first
| # | District | City | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Englewood Cliffs Borough School District | Englewood Cliffs | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Mendham Township School District | Brookside | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #3 | Rumson Borough School District | Rumson | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #4 | Saddle River Borough School District | Saddle River | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #5 | Spring Lake Borough School District | Spring Lake | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #6 | Fair Haven Borough School District | Fair Haven | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #7 | Millburn Township School District | Millburn | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #8 | Mountain Lakes Borough School District | Mountain Lakes | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #9 | Sea Girt Borough School District | Sea Girt | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #10 | Harding Township School District | Green Village | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #11 | Ho-Ho-Kus Borough School District | Ho Ho Kus | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #12 | New Providence Borough School District | New Providence | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #13 | Bernards Township School District | Basking Ridge | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #14 | Glen Ridge Borough School District | Glen Ridge | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #15 | Mountainside Borough School District | Mountainside | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #16 | Haddonfield Borough School District | Haddonfield | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #17 | Livingston Public Schools | Livingston | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #18 | Ridgewood Village School District | Ridgewood | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #19 | Glen Rock Borough School District | Glen Rock | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #20 | Summit Public Schools | Summit | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #21 | Alpine Borough School District | Alpine | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #22 | Tenafly Borough School District | Tenafly | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #23 | Montgomery Township School District | Belle Mead | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
| #24 | Montville Township School District | Montville | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
| #25 | Princeton Public Schools | Princeton | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
Best School Districts in New Jersey (2026)
This ranking covers 329 rated public school districts in New Jersey, scored using NJSLA 2024–25 state assessment data. Each district's reading and math proficiency rates are averaged, then ranked against other districts in the same state to produce a 1–10 score.
A district's score reflects how its students perform on state assessments relative to same-state peers — it is not a direct measure of teaching quality, school culture, or individual student outcomes. Always visit schools, talk to local families, and contact districts directly before making decisions. Learn how ratings are calculated →
New Jersey School Districts at a Glance
- 524 of the 560 regular school districts operating in New Jersey have a published rating on this site.
- 167 districts score 8/10 or higher, the top three rating bands.
- Ratings come from NJSLA 2024–25, and every district is ranked against other districts in New Jersey only — never against districts in another state, because the tests differ.
- The highest-rated district is Englewood Cliffs Borough School District in Englewood Cliffs, rated 10/10.
- New Jersey has 44 high-school-only districts, so an address here can sit in an elementary district and a separate high school district at the same time. How split districts work →
How to Use This List
Click any district name to see its zip code page and confirm your exact assignment with the district office. Boundaries don't always follow city or neighborhood lines — the zip code search gives you the most accurate result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school district in New Jersey? ▼
Based on state reading and math assessment proficiency (NJSLA 2024–25), the top-rated district is Englewood Cliffs Borough School District in Englewood Cliffs, rated 10/10 (Excellent).
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Rankings use the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NJSLA 2024–25), ranked against other districts in the same state, then converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.
Are ratings based on test scores? ▼
Yes. Ratings are based directly on state reading and math assessment proficiency rates, not on enrollment, spending, or school count. They are a starting point for research, not a final verdict on school quality.
How many school districts are in New Jersey? ▼
New Jersey has 560 regular school districts operating in the 2024–25 school year, according to the NCES Common Core of Data. 524 of them have enough state assessment data to carry a rating on this site.
What test are New Jersey school district ratings based on? ▼
NJSLA 2024–25. The rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above in reading and math, converted to a percentile against other districts in New Jersey and then to a 1–10 scale. Spending, staffing and district size are not part of it.
How many districts in New Jersey are rated 8 out of 10 or higher? ▼
167 of the 524 rated districts in New Jersey score 8/10 or above. Because the scale is a within-state percentile, a high rating means the district outperforms most other districts in New Jersey, not the country.
Can one address in New Jersey be in two school districts? ▼
Yes. New Jersey has 44 districts that serve only high school grades, so a home can be in an elementary district for the lower grades and a separate high school district for grades 9–12. Search your street address to see every district that serves it.