Dual Language School

Q: Is Dual Language School a good school?

Dual Language School ranks 418 th of 743 New Jersey middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dual Language School is a public middle school located in Fords, New Jersey, serving grades 4-8 with a total enrollment of 460 students. It is part of the Perth Amboy Public School District, which is ranked 561 out of 613 school districts in the state.

Dual Language School consistently outperforms the district and the state of New Jersey in English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, 61.8% of 6th graders at Dual Language School were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 33.1% in the district and 53.2% statewide. However, the school's performance in Mathematics lags behind the state average, with only 16% of 6th graders proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to 36.2% statewide. The school's Algebra I performance is a bright spot, with 47.6% of 8th graders proficient or better, outpacing both the district and state averages.

Dual Language School's strong performance extends to its Hispanic, English Language Learner (ELL), and low socioeconomic status (SES) student populations, ranking in the top 35%, top 29%, and top 19% of New Jersey middle schools, respectively, in 2023-2024. However, the school faces challenges, such as relatively high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 12.1% to 20.3% over the past few years, and weaker performance in Science compared to the district and state averages. The school's higher per-student spending and student-teacher ratio compared to some nearby schools, such as William C. McGinnis Middle School and Samuel E. Shull Middle School, suggest that it may have access to more resources, but this does not necessarily translate to better overall academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public 4-8

630 Amboy Avenue
Fords, NJ 08863

(732) 376-6200

District: Perth Amboy Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
418^th of 743 New Jersey Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,909

Student/teacher ratio: 19.8

Number of students: 496

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

97.4%

African American:

1.8%

White:

0.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dual Language School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2019 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.68. (See more...)

Compare Details Dual Language School ranks worse than 56.3% of middle schools in New Jersey. It also ranks first among 3 ranked middle schools in the Perth Amboy Public School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.97. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Dual Language School has the smallest middle school student body size in the Perth Amboy Public School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (97.4%), African American (1.8%), White (0.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 73.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Perth Amboy Public School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dual Language School is 19.8, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Perth Amboy Public School District! (See more...)

Compare Dual Language School employs 25 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dual Language School is $11,909, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Perth Amboy Public School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Dual Language School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Dual Language School 418^th of 743 New Jersey public middle schools. (See Dual Language School in the ranking list.)

Perth Amboy Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Perth Amboy Public School District 561^st of 613 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Dual Language School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NJ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	59.68	595^th	1360	56.3%

See the entire list of New Jersey Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: New Jersey Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Dual Language School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Dual Language School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2021	50.14	283^rd	652	56.6%
2022	57.12	282^nd	745	62.1%
2023	44.86	389^th	748	48.0%
2024	40.97	418^th	743	43.7%

See the entire list of New Jersey Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Dual Language School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2021	43.68	86^th	197	56.3%
2022	50.18	99^th	270	63.3%
2023	52.92	98^th	288	66.0%
2024	56.49	93^rd	320	70.9%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Dual Language School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2021	71.56	54^th	467	88.4%
2022	77.61	53^rd	549	90.3%
2023	60.86	135^th	568	76.2%
2024	65.73	113^th	584	80.7%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Dual Language School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2021	50.73	271^st	625	56.6%
2022	59.38	268^th	726	63.1%
2023	41.97	386^th	720	46.4%
2024	45.73	362^nd	717	49.5%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Dual Language School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2021	45.90	295^th	635	53.5%
2022	53.15	292^nd	730	60.0%
2023	45.95	350^th	718	51.3%
2024	38.63	416^th	719	42.1%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Dual Language School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NJ State Percentile
2021	62.73	122^nd	480	74.6%
2022	73.45	101^st	591	82.9%
2023	56.58	201^st	587	65.8%
2024	56.88	203^rd	589	65.5%

See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: New Jersey Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Wednesday, February 1, 2023

This is a really good school coming from some one who goes there Close Quote

Enrollment information for Dual Language School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2018	2	7	0	286	0	295
2019	3	8	3	438	0	452
2020	3	8	2	406	0	419
2021	3	8	1	385	0	397
2022	2	11	1	393	0	407
2023	2	9	1	448	0	460
2024	2	9	1	483	1	496

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Dual Language School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	295	22.4	13.1	87.5
2019	452	26.0	17.3	89.8
2020	419	27.0	15.5	88.5
2021	397	24.0	16.5	87.9
2022	407	23.0	17.6	82.8
2023	460	25.8	17.8	80.9
2024	496	25.0	19.8	73.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Dual Language School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	295	22.4	13.1	87.5
2019	452	26.0	17.3	89.8
2020	419	27.0	15.5	88.5
2021	397	24.0	16.5	87.9
2022	407	23.0	17.6	82.8
2023	460	25.8	17.8	80.9
2024	496	25.0	19.8	73.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Dual Language School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,424 (12.0%)	$10,485 (88.0%)	$11,909

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dual Language School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dual Language School)	77.6	41.6	36%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Perth Amboy Public School District)	53.3	30.7	22.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)	57.4	51.3	6.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dual Language School)	53.9	25.5	28.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Perth Amboy Public School District)	39.5	18.7	20.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)	51	44.3	6.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Dual Language School)	80	35.5	44.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Perth Amboy Public School District)	42.4	25.4	17%
5th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)	57.9	53.2	4.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dual Language School)	51.3	18.9	32.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Perth Amboy Public School District)	24.9	10.7	14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)	46.8	40.1	6.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Dual Language School)	83.5	65.2	18.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Perth Amboy Public School District)	36.3	27.6	8.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)	56.1	49	7.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Dual Language School)	31.8	10.5	21.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Perth Amboy Public School District)	16.6	7.8	8.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)	40.6	34.3	6.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	452	460	1.8%
African American	8	9	12.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	438	448	2.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	3	2	33.3%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	89.8%	80.9%	9%

Schools Near Dual Language School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NJSLA-S Science (2024)		NJSLA English Language Arts (2024)					NJSLA Mathematics (2024)					NJSLA Algebra I (2024)			NJSLA Geometry (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NJSLA-S Science 5th Grade	NJSLA-S Science 8th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 4th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 5th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 6th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 7th Grade	NJSLA English Language Arts 8th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 4th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 5th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 6th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 7th Grade	NJSLA Mathematics 8th Grade	NJSLA Algebra I 7th Grade	NJSLA Algebra I 8th Grade	NJSLA Algebra I End of Course	NJSLA Geometry 8th Grade	NJSLA Geometry End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Dual Language School	Public	4-8	630 Amboy Avenue	Fords	08863	Middlesex County	Perth Amboy Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(732) 376-6200	496	25	19.8	73.6%	2 (0.4%)	9 (1.8%)	483 (97.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	41	418^th of 743 public middle schools	43.7%		44.9	389^th of 748 public middle schools	48.0%	29	7.6	5.9	33.5	45.0	61.8	61.7	62.7	22.2	29.0	16.0	18.5	0.0		47.6	47.6			$11,909	$1,424	$10,485
Fords Middle School	Public	6-8	Fanning Street	Fords	08863	Middlesex County	Woodbridge Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(732) 596-4200	575	62	9.2	56.9%	123 (21.4%)	67 (11.7%)	281 (48.9%)	96 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.4%)	25.2	550^th of 743 public middle schools	26.0%		29.6	522^nd of 748 public middle schools	30.2%	28		8.4			33.3	30.1	27.4			17.9	23.6	19.2		100.0	100.0			$8,737		$8,737
Herbert Hoover Middle School	Public	6-8	174 Jackson Avenue	Edison	08837	Middlesex County	Edison Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(732) 452-2940	1,031	81	12.7	38.7%	179 (17.4%)	129 (12.5%)	244 (23.7%)	446 (43.3%)	2 (0.2%)	6 (0.6%)	25 (2.4%)	49.1	350^th of 743 public middle schools	52.9%		52.8	324^th of 748 public middle schools	56.7%	26		19.9			54.1	55.9	59.6			32.9	26.0	2.1	90.9	59.3	71.8	95.8	95.8	$7,148	$238	$6,910
Edgar Middle School	Public	5-8	49 Brunswick Avenue	Metuchen	08840	Middlesex County	Metuchen Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(732) 321-8770	769	66	11.6	6.1%	343 (44.6%)	28 (3.6%)	99 (12.9%)	238 (30.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	58 (7.5%)	88.7	55^th of 743 public middle schools	92.6%		87.1	67^th of 748 public middle schools	91.0%	12	52.4	46.7		79.9	74.5	76.6	79.3		69.9	67.7	57.3	48.2	100.0	96.3	97.4	100.0	100.0	$7,842		$7,842
Samuel E. Shull Middle School	Public	6-8	380 Hall Avenue	Perth Amboy	08861	Middlesex County	Perth Amboy Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(732) 376-6060	865	77	11.1	81.3%	13 (1.5%)	44 (5.1%)	799 (92.4%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	18	622^nd of 743 public middle schools	16.3%		20.1	597^th of 748 public middle schools	20.2%	25		4.5			32.4	26.2	32.5			8.8	11.5	9.1		81.8	81.8			$12,637	$631	$12,006
Woodbridge Middle School	Public	6-8	525 Barron Avenue	Woodbridge	07095	Middlesex County	Woodbridge Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(732) 602-8690	538	54	10.0	54.3%	182 (33.8%)	80 (14.9%)	222 (41.3%)	47 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.3%)	15.3	656^th of 743 public middle schools	11.7%		22.6	572^nd of 748 public middle schools	23.5%	84		4.9			30.5	16.6	14.6			16.4	18.3	3.2		54.1	54.1			$10,503		$10,503
Iselin Middle School	Public	6-8	900 Woodruff Street	Iselin	08830	Middlesex County	Woodbridge Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(732) 602-8450	866	71	12.1	36.3%	128 (14.8%)	53 (6.1%)	176 (20.3%)	502 (58.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.8%)	67.6	210^th of 743 public middle schools	71.7%		71.5	184^th of 748 public middle schools	75.4%	26		20.3			62.3	57.6	55.4			46.6	56.2	34.1		98.5	98.5			$8,163		$8,163
William C. McGinnis Middle School	Public	6-8	271 State Street	Perth Amboy	08861	Middlesex County	Perth Amboy Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(732) 376-6040	948	83	11.4	77.4%	3 (0.3%)	27 (2.8%)	912 (96.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.5%)	15.7	649^th of 743 public middle schools	12.7%		18.2	617^th of 748 public middle schools	17.5%	32		3.5			26.7	23.7	34.6			5.5	8.3	7.6		87.5	87.5			$12,488	$649	$11,839
Woodrow Wilson Middle School	Public	6-8	50 Woodrow Wilson Drive	Edison	08820	Middlesex County	Edison Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(732) 452-2870	1,204	93	12.8	12.5%	45 (3.7%)	31 (2.6%)	63 (5.2%)	1,041 (86.5%)	12 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (1.0%)	85.7	75^th of 743 public middle schools	89.9%		85.8	72^nd of 748 public middle schools	90.4%	3		52.3			78.7	83.6	87.3			63.9	53.8	21.2	98.1	81.3	89.5	93.4	93.4	$6,900		$6,900
Avenel Middle School	Public	6-8	Woodbine Avenue	Avenel	07001	Middlesex County	Woodbridge Township School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(732) 596-4210	559	76	7.3	56.5%	159 (28.4%)	122 (21.8%)	178 (31.8%)	91 (16.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.6%)	21.9	579^th of 743 public middle schools	22.1%		26.9	540^th of 748 public middle schools	27.8%	39		6.2			26.4	29.3	21.2			24.2	31.9	7.1						$9,251		$9,251

Frequently Asked Questions about Dual Language School

Is Dual Language School a good school?

Dual Language School ranks 418^th of 743 New Jersey middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Dual Language School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 496 students attended Dual Language School.

What district is Dual Language School in?

Perth Amboy Public School District

What is the racial makeup of Dual Language School?

Students at Dual Language School are 97% Hispanic, 2% African American.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Jersey Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.