Northfield Community Middle School, Northfield NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Northfield Community Middle School

Northfield Community Middle School serves fifth through eighth graders from Northfield, a largely residential suburban community in Atlantic County a short distance west of Atlantic City. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet school, and it sits within the Northfield City School District. The school’s enrollment runs through four grades, with a relatively even distribution across them, and the total is modest for a middle school in the region.

About one in five students at the school qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that is low for the county. The student body is predominantly white, with the largest minority groups being Hispanic and Asian students, each making up a modest share of enrollment, and a very small Black student population. Data on the share of students with disabilities or those who are English learners was not available. Families looking for a more diverse peer environment should note this composition and may want to ask the district for a fuller demographic picture.

On state assessments, the school shows a pattern that shifts markedly by grade and subject. In English language arts, the proficiency rate climbs steadily from fifth grade into seventh grade, where it reaches a level that is quite high, and then drops off some in eighth grade but still sits comfortably above the midpoint. Math results follow a less even arc. Fifth, sixth, and seventh grade math proficiency rates each increase from one grade to the next, with the seventh grade rate a clear strength. Then eighth grade math proficiency falls off steeply, landing at a level far lower than the earlier grades, and that sharp drop is something a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand what might be at play. Science, tested in two grades, shows proficiency rates that are below the school’s own English language arts marks, with eighth grade science particularly soft. When compared with other districts in Atlantic County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades lands in the top quartile, indicating that when you take the good and the soft together, the overall result is strong relative to the county.

Because the school serves only grades five through eight, there is no graduation rate to report, and the chronic absenteeism data was not available, so the picture of student engagement and high school readiness is partial.

The school is not a high school, so families should know that Northfield students attend Mainland Regional High School, which is located in the neighboring community of Linwood and serves students from three towns. Northfield holds three of the nine seats on the high school district’s board.

The district brief was searched for recent changes, such as new programs or facilities, but little of lasting impact was found, so those topics are not covered here.

Northfield itself is a stable, largely built-out suburb. The population has been roughly steady with a slight decline in recent decades, and the housing stock is dominated by single-family homes. The median home value in the area sits at a level that is modestly above the national benchmark. The town’s civic life is anchored by Birch Grove Park, a sizable wooded park with trails, lakes, a campground, and a museum. Commercial activity is concentrated along the Shore Road corridor. Transit connections to Atlantic City and surrounding towns exist via NJ Transit bus service. The overall feel is of a quiet, family-oriented suburb with no dramatic growth pressure and a settled character. For a family considering this middle school, the academic picture is one of strong English language arts performance in most grades, a notable eighth grade math soft spot worth investigating, and overall proficiency that stands up well against other districts in the county.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 51%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 654%

School 54% · District 54%

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 760%

School 60% · District 60%

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 18%

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 552%

School 52% · District 52%

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 673%

School 73% · District 73%

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Grade 782%

School 82% · District 82%

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Grade 862%

School 62% · District 62%

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Science

Grade 539%

School 39% · District 39%

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 830%

School 30% · District 30%

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

This schoolNorthfield City School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income35%Higher-income57%23 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income67%Higher-income74%7 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income75%Higher-income85%10 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income54%Higher-income65%11 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income57%28 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income27%Higher-income61%34 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income50%Higher-income65%15 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income18%Higher-income18%0 pp gap