Top 10 Best Essex County Public Middle Schools (2024)

For the 2024 school year, there are 97 public middle schools serving 69,363 students in Essex County, NJ.
The top ranked public middle schools in Essex County, NJ are Millburn Middle School, Glen Ridge High School and Science Park High School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Essex County, NJ public middle schools have an average math proficiency score of 16% (versus the New Jersey public middle school average of 23%), and reading proficiency score of 39% (versus the 47% statewide average). Middle schools in Essex County have an average ranking of 2/10, which is in the bottom 50% of New Jersey public middle schools.
Minority enrollment is 89% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the New Jersey public middle school average of 67% (majority Hispanic).

Best Public Middle Schools in Essex County (2024)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Millburn Middle School
(Math: 66% | Reading: 83%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
25 Old Short Hills Rd
Millburn, NJ 07041
(973) 379-2600
Grades: 6-8
| 1,164 students
Rank: #22.
Glen Ridge High School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 77%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
200 Ridgewood Ave
Glen Ridge, NJ 07028
(973) 429-8303
Grades: 7-12
| 827 students
Rank: #33.
Science Park High School
(Math: 47% | Reading: 77%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
260 Norfolk Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 733-8689
Grades: 7-12
| 918 students
Rank: #44.
Heritage Middle School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 73%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
20 Foxcroft Dr
Livingston, NJ 07039
(973) 535-8000
Grades: 7-8
| 1,014 students
Rank: #55.
The Gray Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
55 Liberty Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 824-6661
Grades: K-8
| 355 students
Rank: #66.
Renaissance Middle School At The Rand Building
(Math: 33% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
176 North Fullerton Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042
(973) 509-5741
Grades: 6-8
| 217 students
Rank: #77.
Henry B. Whitehorne Middle School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
600 Bloomfield Ave
Verona, NJ 07044
(973) 571-6751
Grades: 5-8
| 655 students
Rank: #88.
South Orange Middle School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 68%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
70 North Ridgewood Road
South Orange, NJ 07079
(973) 378-2772
Grades: 6-8
| 782 students
Rank: #99.
Buzz Aldrin Middle School
(Math: 32% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
173 Bellevue Ave
Montclair, NJ 07042
(973) 509-4220
Grades: 6-8
| 619 students
Rank: #1010.
John H. Walker Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
325 Franklin Ave
Nutley, NJ 07110
(973) 661-8869
Grades: 7-8
| 618 students
Rank: #1111.
Grover Cleveland Middle School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
36 Academy Rd
Caldwell, NJ 07006
(973) 228-9115
Grades: 6-8
| 571 students
Rank: #1212.
West Essex Middle School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 68%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
65 West Greenbrook Rd
Caldwell, NJ 07006
(973) 228-1200
Grades: 7-8
| 548 students
Rank: #1313.
Maplewood Middle School
(Math: 23% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
7 Burnett St
Maplewood, NJ 07040
(973) 378-7660
Grades: 6-8
| 740 students
Rank: #1414.
East Orange Stem High School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
129 Renshaw Avenue
East Orange, NJ 07017
(973) 266-5900
Grades: 6-12
| 593 students
Rank: #1515.
Memorial Middle School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
500 Ridge Road
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
(973) 239-2646
Grades: 5-8
| 471 students
Rank: #1616.
Glenfield Middle School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
25 Maple Ave
Montclair, NJ 07042
(973) 509-4172
Grades: 6-8
| 596 students
Rank: #1717.
Robert Treat Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
443 Clifton Avenue
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 482-8811
Grades: K-8
| 684 students
Rank: #1818.
Roosevelt Middle School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
36 Gilbert Pl
West Orange, NJ 07052
(973) 669-5373
Grades: 7-8
| 521 students
Rank: #1919.
Liberty Middle School
(Math: 25% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1 Kelly Drive
West Orange, NJ 07052
(973) 243-8650
Grades: 7-8
| 568 students
Rank: #2020.
Philip's Charter School
Charter School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: 40-59%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
342 Central Avenue
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 624-0644
Grades: PK-8
| 575 students
Rank: #2121.
North Star Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
10 Washington Place
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 642-0101
Grades: K-12
| 6,287 students
Rank: #2222.
Bloomfield Middle School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
60 Huck Road
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
(973) 680-8620
Grades: 7-8
| 971 students
Rank: #2323.
Discovery Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
240 Halsey St, 2nd Fl.
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 623-0222
Grades: 4-8
| 101 students
Rank: #2424.
Great Oaks Legacy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 19% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
909 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(862) 256-0909
Grades: PK-12
| 1,985 students
Rank: #2525.
Cicely L. Tyson Community Middle/high School
(Math: 11% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
35 Winans Street
East Orange, NJ 07017
(973) 414-8600
Grades: 6-12
| 732 students
Rank: #2626.
First Avenue School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
214 First Ave
Newark, NJ 07107
(973) 268-5240
Grades: PK-8
| 1,081 students
Rank: #2727.
Forest Street Community Elementary School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
651 Forest St
Orange, NJ 07050
(973) 677-4120
Grades: PK-7
| 390 students
Rank: #2828.
Maria Varisco Rogers Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 16% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
233 Woodside Ave
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 481-9001
Grades: K-8
| 568 students
Rank: #2929.
Belleville Middle School
(Math: 11% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
279 Washington Ave
Belleville, NJ 07109
(973) 969-4342
Grades: 7-8
| 685 students
Rank: #3030.
Orange Preparatory Academy
(Math: 12% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
400 Central Ave
Orange, NJ 07050
(973) 677-4135
Grades: 8-9
| 658 students
Rank: #3131.
Link Community Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
23 Pennsyvania Ave
Newark, NJ 07114
(973) 642-0529
Grades: 5-8
| 320 students
Rank: #3232.
Heywood Avenue Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
421 Heywood Ave
Orange, NJ 07050
(973) 677-4105
Grades: PK-7
| 363 students
Rank: #3333.
Pride Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 10% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
117 Elmwood Ave
East Orange, NJ 07018
(973) 672-3200
Grades: 5-8
| 299 students
Rank: #3434.
Ann Street School
(Math: 13% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
30 Ann St
Newark, NJ 07105
(973) 465-4890
Grades: K-8
| 1,200 students
Rank: #3535.
Oliver Street School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
86 Oliver St
Newark, NJ 07105
(973) 465-4870
Grades: PK-8
| 1,109 students
Show 62 more public schools in Essex County, NJ (out of 97 total schools)
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[+] Show Closed Public Schools in Essex County, NJ

Essex County Public Schools (Closed)

School
Location
Grades
Students
75 Morton St
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 317-8361
Grades: 6-8
| 255 students
74 Montgomery St
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-6911
Grades: 9-12
| n/a students
15 James St
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 297-1275
Grades: K-8
| 331 students
43 Alexander St
Newark, NJ 07106
(973) 374-2390
Grades: 1-8
| 385 students
100 Linden Avenue
Irvington, NJ 07111
(973) 399-6847
Grades: K-5
| 310 students
90 Parker Street
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 268-5125
Grades: 9-12
| 1,263 students
209 Franklin Street
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
(973) 412-2206
Grades: 9-12
| 509 students
15 Boylan St
Newark, NJ 07106
(973) 374-2490
Grades: PK-K
| 57 students
103 Bragaw Ave
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 705-3970
Grades: K-8
| 250 students
228 Ridge St
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 268-5220
Grades: PK-4
| n/a students
180 Oraton St
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 268-5340
Grades: PK-4
| 290 students
28 Burnet St
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 733-7138
Grades: PK-8
| 213 students
321 Bergen St
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-3870
Grades: 5-8
| 287 students
123 Cleveland Street
Orange, NJ 07050
(973) 673-0746
Grades: 9-12
| n/a students
255 Chancellor Ave
Newark, NJ 07112
(973) 705-3860
Grades: K-2
| 141 students
36 Mt. Vernon Avenue
Irvington, NJ 07111
Grades: K-5
| 233 students
534 Clinton Ave
Newark, NJ 07108
(973) 733-6970
Grades: PK
| 67 students
33 Maple Avenue
Newark, NJ 07112
(973) 733-6234
Grades: n/a
| n/a students
26 Speedway Avenue
Newark, NJ 07106
(973) 733-6234
Grades: PK
| 57 students
229 18th Ave
Newark, NJ 07108
(973) 733-6824
Grades: PK-8
| 218 students
557 Fifteenth Ave
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-6924
Grades: PK-8
| 224 students
279 Chancellor Avenue
Newark, NJ 07112
(973) 508-4334
Grades: 6-12
| 116 students
72 Central Avenue
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 242-3543
Grades: 5-8
| 212 students
15 Smalley Place
Irvington, NJ 07111
(973) 372-5601
Grades: 9-12
| 16 students
1064 Clinton Avenue
Irvington, NJ 07111
Grades: PK
| 75 students
746 Sanford Avenue
Newark, NJ 07106
(973) 623-9005
Grades: K-8
| 460 students
663 Broadway
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 268-5330
Grades: 5-8
| 552 students
211 Sherman Ave
Newark, NJ 07102
(201) 526-8500
Grades: 6-12
| n/a students
823 S 16th St
Newark, NJ 07108
(973) 374-2890
Grades: PK-5
| 405 students
33 Maple Ave
Newark, NJ 07112
(973) 705-3850
Grades: K-8
| 365 students
108 South 9th St
Newark, NJ 07107
(973) 733-7368
Grades: K-8
| 375 students
236 Hoover Avenue
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
(973) 259-1870
Grades: 7-12
| 112 students
909 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 642-4400
Grades: 5-10
| 494 students
70 Spring Street
Millburn, NJ 07041
(201) 343-6000
Grades: PK-12
| 3 students
66 Muhammad Ali Avenue
Newark, NJ 07108
(973) 733-6815
Grades: PK-8
| 499 students
Show 25 more closed public schools in Essex County, NJ (out of 60 total schools)
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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top ranked public middle schools in Essex County, NJ?
The top ranked public middle schools in Essex County, NJ include Millburn Middle School, Glen Ridge High School and Science Park High School.
How many public middle schools are located in Essex County, NJ?
97 public middle schools are located in Essex County, NJ.
What is the racial composition of students in Essex County, NJ?
Essex County, NJ public middle schools minority enrollment is 89% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the New Jersey public middle schools average of 67% (majority Hispanic).

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