The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Midland Park Jr./sr. High School
Midland Park Jr./Sr. High School is a regular public school serving students in seventh through twelfth grade, housed in a single building in a small Bergen County borough. The school draws its enrollment from the Midland Park School District, a single-town system. With a student body that is modest in size for a combined junior-senior high, the school offers an environment where students move through middle and high school in one location, a setup that appeals to families seeking continuity through adolescence.
The academic picture comes primarily from state testing in seventh and eighth grades, as assessment results for the upper high school grades were not present in the available data. English language arts performance is a clear strength: a strong majority of seventh graders and an even larger majority of eighth graders scored at the proficient level or above. Math results are more mixed, with roughly half of students in each of those grades meeting the proficiency benchmark. Science results for eighth graders are notably lower, with a modest share reaching proficiency. When the school’s overall proficiency across these tested subjects and grades is compared with other districts in Bergen County, it sits below the midpoint of the county. That position, combined with the gap between strong reading and weaker science performance, is something a parent may want to explore further with the school, particularly regarding how science instruction and curriculum are structured across the grades.
The school serves a student population that is predominantly white, with a Hispanic student group as the next largest, and smaller shares of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. The share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch is very low, reflecting the relatively affluent socioeconomic character of the community. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the material reviewed. The borough of Midland Park is a built-out suburban community with a stable population, a mix of residential streets and small commercial nodes, and a commuter rail station offering access to Manhattan. Home values in the area are high, and the housing market is competitive, consistent with many Bergen County suburbs. Families moving into Midland Park typically do so for the small-town feel, the local public schools, and the commute options.
Several pieces of information that families often rely on were not present in the data. There is no reported graduation rate, even though the school serves twelfth grade, and no chronic absenteeism or discipline data. Information on course offerings, such as Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, or career and technical programs, was also absent. A parent investigating this school would be wise to ask directly about high school outcomes, the breadth of the academic program at the upper levels, and support services for students who need them. The district itself did not appear to have publicly reported any recent major changes, suggesting a period of relative stability.
Midland Park Jr./Sr. High School fits families who value a small, self-contained school in an upper-middle-income suburban community, who are comfortable with its overall academic standing relative to its affluent Bergen County neighbors, and who are willing to probe for the high school level details that are not captured in the available state data. The school’s English language arts record is strong in the early secondary years, but the math and science numbers and the missing high school metrics mean that a closer look is warranted before forming a full judgment.
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