Verona Public School District, NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Verona Public School District

The Verona Public School District serves a single community in Essex County, a compact pre-K through twelfth-grade system with an enrollment that puts it at a medium scale for a New Jersey district. The student body is predominantly white, with a share of Hispanic students and smaller percentages of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. The district does not report the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals or those with disabilities, so the economic and special-education profile of the student population is not possible to characterize from the available data.

Academically, Verona performs above the midpoint among Essex County's districts. When looking across all tested subjects and grade levels, the district’s overall proficiency index sits in the top quarter of its county peers. That strength is most visible in English language arts, where from third through eighth grade the share of students meeting state proficiency benchmarks is solid and climbs above four-fifths in seventh grade. Math results are more uneven. Students in grades three through seven reach proficiency at rates that are generally strong, but eighth-grade math drops sharply; roughly a third of students score at the proficient level, a soft spot worth a conversation with the district about how algebra readiness and math support are handled in the middle grades. Science results follow a similar pattern, with fifth-grade performance moderate and eighth-grade science significantly lower. The district does not have state test data available for high school, so the picture of academic achievement in the upper grades is incomplete.

Chronic absenteeism is low, placing Verona in the most favorable quarter of the county’s districts. That points to consistent student attendance and engagement, a supportive environment that can underpin academic work.

Housing in Verona carries a high price tag. The typical home value is well above the state benchmark and far above the national figure, and rent is similarly elevated. The cost of buying versus renting tilts toward renting as a more affordable option; the estimated monthly mortgage exceeds average rent by a meaningful margin. For a family looking to enter the district, the housing market is a steep commitment.

The district runs six schools: a high school, a middle school, and four elementary schools. There is no available data on course offerings, Advanced Placement, career pathways, or specialized programs, so the range of academic options beyond the core curriculum is not clear from the information at hand. Likewise, no information was found on recent district changes or strategic priorities, so the narrative around growth or redirection is absent.

For a parent evaluating Verona, the academic picture is one of a district that performs well in the elementary and early middle grades, with particularly strong ELA outcomes and low absenteeism. The weaknesses in eighth-grade math and science are notable and could affect a student’s transition to high school coursework. The high cost of local housing suggests a community where school funding through property taxes is likely substantial, but the district’s per-pupil spending sits in the lower range among its county peers, which might raise questions about resource allocation. The district serves a single town with a relatively homogeneous demographic profile, which some families may prefer and others may consider limited in diversity. Without program-level details or high school performance data, a closer visit to the district’s schools and a direct conversation with administrators would be a sensible next step.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

2,200

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 10%

Black 2%

White 81%

Asian 3%

Two+ 4%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

—

64%

Gr 4

—

68%

Gr 5

—

71%

Gr 6

—

71%

Gr 7

—

83%

Gr 8

—

70%

Math

Gr 3

—

70%

Gr 4

—

57%

Gr 5

—

67%

Gr 6

—

60%

Gr 7

—

73%

Gr 8

—

32%

Science

Gr 5

—

49%

Gr 8

—

32%

Schools in this District

6 schools are officially reported under this district.

Verona High School

Brookdale Avenue School

Frederic N. Brown Elementary School

Forest Avenue School

Henry B. Whitehorne Middle School

Laning Avenue School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

69%

Grade 3

58%

Grade 4

67%

Grade 5

59%

Grade 6

72%

Grade 7

32%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

63%

Grade 3

68%

Grade 4

71%

Grade 5

70%

Grade 6

83%

Grade 7

70%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

49%

Grade 5

31%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$759,831

Year-over-year change+6.5%

vs. state typical1.33x

vs. national typical2.06x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
07044	Verona	$760K	+6.5%	100.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,219/mo

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
07044	Verona	$3,219	—	100.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$3,834/mo

Home price / national median income9.1x

Annual rent / national median income46.1%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$615/mo

Market Activity: Essex County

Median listing price$599,000

Median listing price YoY-0.1%

Median price per sq ft$348

Median price per sq ft YoY+1.8%

Median days on market28.0 days

Median days on market YoY-3.5%

Active listings834

Active listings YoY+4.5%

New listings592

New listings YoY+6.5%

Pending listings614

Pending listings YoY-2.7%

Hotness: median listing price$563,500

Hotness: median listing price YoY-5.2%

Supply score96.1

Supply score YoY+2.6%

Demand score64.1

Demand score YoY-1.4%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$571,373 (+3.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.