As expected WW-P schools did well compared to schools statewide and within their peer group in the state’s recently released performance reports. They also did well compared to the nearby districts with which they are often compared, including Princeton and Montgomery.
There were exceptions that may raise eyebrows. In the category of “graduation and post-secondary,” which refers to the number of students who complete high school in four years, High School North only ranked in the 29th percentile in comparison with its peer schools. South was in the 83rd percentile.
All four elementary schools scored low compared to their peer group in the category of “college and career readiness,” which measures chronic absenteeism. Maurice Hawk was the highest, in the 52nd percentile, followed by Town Center, 26th; Dutch Neck, 23rd; and Wycoff, 16th.
Maurice Hawk was the only district school to receive a 100th percentile ranking — for academic achievement.
Comparing the district’s high schools to its peers, High School South ranked in the 73rd percentile for academic achievement and 85th percentile for college and career readiness. North outranked South by one percentile point in college and career readiness, but was only in the 53rd percentile for academic achievement.
Compared to Princeton, Montgomery, Hopewell, and Robbinsville both WW-P high schools did well. South outperformed all four schools in all three categories. North outranked three of the four in academic achievement, all four in college and career readiness, but exceeded only Robbinsville in the graduation and post secondary category.
The concept of “peer school comparisons” has replaced the district factor group comparisons and uses different criteria including free or reduced lunch eligibility, limited English proficiency, and special education participation.
A review of the performance reports for the remainder of the WW-P schools shows they also compare favorably with peer schools.
Community Middle School ranked in the 91st percentile for academic achievement; 69th for college and career readiness; and 89th for student growth. Grover Middle School was in the 85th percentile for academic achievement; 79th for college and career readiness, and 54th for student growth.
For the upper elementary schools (fourth and fifth grade), the percentile rankings were as follows:
Village was ranked in the 81st percentile for academic achievement, 73rd for college and career readiness, and 75th for student growth. Millstone fell within the 70th percentile for academic achievement; 55th for college and career readiness, and 82nd for student growth.
For the K-3 schools, ranked in only two categories, Maurice Hawk was in the 100th percentile for academic achievement as compared to peer schools; and in the 52nd for of college and career readiness (defined as behaviors indicative of future attendance or success in college and careers and includes a measurement of how many students are chronically absent).
Wicoff was ranked in the 89th percentile for academic achievement, but in the 16th for college and career readiness. Town Center was ranked in the 73rd percentile for academic achievement and 26th for college and career readiness. Dutch Neck ranked in the 70th percentile for academic achievement and 23rd for college and career readiness.
The News did not receive an explanation for High School North’s low graduation and post-secondary ranking from the district prior to press time, but in a press release Superintendent Victoria Kniewel stated: “We will review all the data contained in the report. District administrators will study the results, which will be incorporated in planning and goals for the upcoming school year. It is important to remember that all performance data is a snapshot of a particular school at a particular moment.”
The Board of Education will review the results of these performance reports at an upcoming public meeting. The board’s next meeting is Tuesday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. at Community Middle School.
