Best Public Schools in Passaic, NJ

The city of Passaic, New Jersey is home to 19 schools that serve students from elementary through high school, all part of the Passaic City School District. While the district as a whole struggles, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger, a few standout schools are performing significantly better than their peers.

The Passaic Arts and Science Charter School and Passaic Gifted and Talented Academy School No. 20 have higher test scores and graduation rates compared to the district and state averages. In contrast, the majority of the district's schools, including Passaic High School No. 12, struggle with low proficiency rates and high chronic absenteeism. The district's overall performance is hindered by systemic challenges, such as high poverty levels and limited resources, which likely contribute to the wide disparities in student achievement across the schools.

Despite the challenges, the success of the Passaic Arts and Science Charter School and Passaic Gifted and Talented Academy School No. 20 demonstrates that with the right strategies and support, students in the Passaic City School District can thrive. Identifying and replicating the practices of these high-performing schools, while also providing targeted interventions for the lowest-performing schools, could be key to improving educational outcomes for all students in the district.