| # | District | City | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Spring Lake Borough School District | Spring Lake Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 100th |
| #2 | Englewood Cliffs Borough School District | Englewood Cliffs Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #3 | Mendham Township School District | Mendham Township | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #4 | Rumson Borough School District | Rumson Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #5 | Fair Haven Borough School District | Fair Haven Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #6 | Millburn Township School District | Millburn Township | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #7 | Millburn Township Schools | Short Hills | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #8 | Mountain Lakes Borough School District | Mountain Lakes Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #9 | Sea Girt Borough School District | Sea Girt Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #10 | Harding Township School District | Harding Township | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #11 | Ho-Ho-Kus Borough School District | Ho-Ho-Kus Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #12 | New Providence Borough School District | New Providence Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #13 | Bernards Township School District | Basking Ridge | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #14 | Glen Ridge Borough School District | Glen Ridge Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #15 | Mountainside Borough School District | Mountainside Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #16 | Haddonfield Borough School District | Haddonfield Borough | 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 Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #20 | Summit Public Schools | Summit | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #21 | Alpine Borough School District | Alpine Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #22 | Tenafly Borough School District | Tenafly Borough | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #23 | Montgomery Township School District | Montgomery Township | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
| #24 | Montville Township School District | Montville Township | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
| #25 | Princeton Public Schools | Princeton | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
Best School Districts in New Jersey (2026)
This ranking covers 318 rated public school districts in New Jersey, scored using New Jersey NJSLA 2024–25 state assessment data (with older EDFacts data for a few districts). 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 →
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.