WalletHub ranks NJ school districts 7th least equitable
The good news is, New Jersey's education system ranks 3rd among the nation's school systems. The bad news is, the Garden State has the 7th least equitable school districts in the United States.
You would think that the money would be spread more evenly.
According to Wallethub.com, "New Jersey has the 7th least equitable school districts in the U.S. overall, but some districts within the state are fairer than others. To find out where school funding is distributed most equitably, WalletHub scored 538 districts in New Jersey based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil."
Among those schools where the funding is distributed more fairly are the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District, Bloomingdale School District and Mount Arlington School District.
Bringing up the bottom — where the funding is not the same — and there are the school districts of Avalon, Mountain Lakes and Millburn Township.
Why is funding distribution so important? WalletHub says "States that provide equitable funding to all school districts can help prevent poor students from having lower graduation rates, lower rates of pursuing higher education, and smaller future incomes than their wealthy peers."
Here's the top 10 most equitable NJ school districts, according to WalletHub:
| Rank* | School District | Score | Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools per Pupil | Income by School District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District | 0.27 | $19,800 | $108,183 |
| 2 | Bloomingdale School District | 0.3 | $21,938 | $97,386 |
| 3 | Mount Arlington Public School District | 0.32 | $22,417 | $95,086 |
| 4 | Carlstadt-East Rutherford Regional High School District | 0.38 | $24,147 | $87,528 |
| 5 | Byram Township School District | 0.42 | $19,387 | $109,457 |
| 6 | South Plainfield School District | 0.98 | $19,522 | $108,244 |
| 7 | Hazlet Township Public School District | 1.18 | $20,559 | $105,479 |
| 8 | Gateway Regional High School District | 1.43 | $25,208 | $80,632 |
| 9 | Bloomsbury Borough School District | 1.53 | $26,945 | $75,333 |
| 10 | Great Meadows Regional School District | 1.62 | $23,017 | $94,176 |
And, the bottom 10 equitable school districts in NJ, also according to WalletHub:
| Rank* | School District | Score | Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools per Pupil | Income by School District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 529 | Ho-Ho-Kus School District | 117.05 | $18,904 | $230,682 |
| 530 | Mendham Township School District | 119.81 | $26,342 | $197,950 |
| 531 | Franklin Lakes School District | 121.78 | $30,772 | $178,794 |
| 532 | Alpine School District | 122.28 | $34,529 | $161,346 |
| 533 | Saddle River School District | 123.07 | $33,091 | $169,018 |
| 534 | Northern Valley Regional High School District | 123.72 | $38,839 | $142,226 |
| 535 | Essex Fells School District | 124.84 | $23,817 | $215,104 |
| 536 | Millburn Township School District | 145.98 | $20,993 | $250,000 |
| 537 | Mountain Lakes Public School District | 166.45 | $30,521 | $225,208 |
| 538 | Avalon School District | 187.07 | $56,919 | $120,000 |
For the full list, click here.
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.
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