New Jersey
U.S.
Rank
Rank
#39
Overall PPI Score: 61.2%
The Garden State has been considerably barren over the past few years, and an iron clad education establishment thwarts parent efforts to find more personalized options for their students. A moderately charter school law with some recent growth keeps New Jersey from an F, but with education proficiency having fallen below pre-pandemic levels the state needs a bumper crop of change.
Opportunity
Innovation
Policy Environment
Charter Schools
Score
72%
Grade: C
Rank: #32
Finally some good news to celebrate in a state with the sixteenth weakest charter law in the nation. A new facilities program was created to allow charter schools located in specific school districts access loans to make critical upgrades to facilities, start...
Transformational Learning
Score
62%
Grade: D
Rank: #48
The state’s DOE supports personalized learning through initiatives like dual enrollment and CTE, and the state allocates funds to support apprenticeship programs. Students can earn both high school and college credits, and, within the state’s work-based...
Leadership
Governor Murphy did an about-face on charter school expansion. For the first time since his election back in 2018, 78% of the charter schools seeking to enroll more students were approved. While it is being viewed as a political calculation by education...
Choice Programs (Scholarships, Vouchers, Tax Credits, etc.)
Score
50%
Grade: F
Rank: #40
New Jersey has no private school choice programs available.
DID YOU KNOW?
States whose opportunity programs ensure more equitable per-pupil funding and do not restrict eligibility to certain groups of students score higher on PPI!. There are only 3 states - Florida, Arizona, and Indiana - where this applies.
Transparency
School and district reports are not easily found on New Jersey Department of Education homepage but can be located through an external link, rc.doe.state.nj.us, which takes viewers to the state’s school and district report cards. Report cards have a useful...
Teacher Quality
One of many data points to assess whether a state has the right policies in place to ensure teacher quality is the "use of student achievement data in teacher preparation accountability." How empty or full the fuel tank above is will give you the answer for your state.
Fast Facts:
4th Grade Math Proficiency: 40%
8th Grade Math Proficiency: 34%
4th Grade Reading Proficiency: 38%
8th Grade Reading Proficiency: 42%
Average SAT Score: 1066 / 1600
Average ACT Score: 24.4 / 36
Graduation Rate: 91%
Constitutional Issues
New Jersey's constitution does not contain a Blaine Amendment. Several state cases over the years have underscored the constitutionality of public funds supporting private decisions. The state's famous Abbott case on education equity also allows pre-school...