Best High Schools In NJ; Middletown HSS and Middletown HSN Lagging Behind

I don't know how many people last weekend saw this but the Star Ledger Magazine, Inside Jersey, published an interesting article about the "Best High Schools In New Jersey" and ranked them based on test scores, zip codes and medium home values or what is called a District Factor Group (DFG), the exceptions of course being the various vocational schools around the state such as High Technology High School, located in Brookdale Community College; Biotechnology High School in Freehold; Communications High School in Wall; Academy of Allied Health and Science in Neptune; and Marine Academy Science and Technology housed at Fort Hancock Historic District on Sandy Hook, which ranked much higher than all the classic public high schools in the state.

Within its DFG, Middletown South was #19 and Middletown North was #50 and were out performed by the several schools that make up the Freehold regional system, Edison's J.P Stevens High School as well as Camden's Eastern High.

Of the 26 public high schools in Monmouth County, Middletown HSS is 6th best behind  Rumson-Fair Haven, Holmdel, Marlboro, Colts Neck, and Manasquan. 

Middletown HSN trail behind at 14th with the likes of Manalapan,Wall and Red Bank Regional in front of it.

The big divide between our two high schools raises a few questions, especially the efficiency of our Board of Education. The socio-economic divide from east to west in Middletown can't be that great to justify a 31 placement difference within the DFG. It definitely lends to the argument that many residents have about our schools being separate and unequal.

I hope that our Superintendent of Schools, Bill George and our BOE, take this survey as a wake-up call and seriously consider what can be done to bring our two high schools closer together in performance.