The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in English language arts. The lowest is 4% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Phillipsburg Middle School
Phillipsburg Middle School serves grades six through eight as part of the Phillipsburg School District in Warren County. The school sits in Phillipsburg, a small historic town on the Delaware River that was once a canal terminus and railroad hub. The town has a traditional downtown along Main Street and Union Square, and its character blends older residential neighborhoods with a commercial core and light industrial areas. Publicly reported sources describe Phillipsburg as the county’s most populous municipality, with a modest, steady growth trajectory in recent years, and an Urban Enterprise Zone in parts of town designed to encourage commerce.
The middle school itself enrolls a student body that is diverse. White students make up the largest share, followed by Hispanic and Black students, with smaller groups of Asian students and students identifying as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that many families in the attendance area have lower household incomes. The school is a regular public school and not a charter or magnet. Data on the share of students with individualized education plans or who are English learners was not available in the materials reviewed.
On state assessments, which in New Jersey are the NJSLA exams, the school’s results show a clear pattern. In English language arts, performance varies noticeably by grade level. Seventh graders scored at a rate that is meaningfully higher than the other two grades, while sixth and eighth graders scored at lower rates. In math, the picture is more challenging across all three grades, with proficiency rates that are modest for sixth and seventh graders and very low for eighth graders. Science results for eighth graders are also very low. When placed against other districts in Warren County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits in the bottom quartile of the county’s districts. This is a soft spot, and a parent considering this school may want to ask the school directly about academic supports, intervention programs, and how the school addresses the gaps between grade levels.
Because Phillipsburg Middle School serves only middle grades, it has no graduation rate to report. No data on chronic absenteeism was available in the materials reviewed, and no information about course offerings, staffing ratios, or disciplinary rates was present. The school’s website was not detailed in the provided information, so a parent would need to contact the school or district to learn about specific programs such as electives, music, arts, athletics, or any advanced coursework for middle school students.
A publicly reported district-level development worth noting involves a neighboring community. Bloomsbury has been pursuing termination of its sending-and-receiving relationship with the Phillipsburg School District for its high school students, with the aim of joining a different regional district. If that change goes through, it would reduce enrollment at Phillipsburg High School, which could in time affect feeder patterns and class sizes throughout the district, including at the middle school level.
For a family weighing this school, the core takeaway is about academic performance. The school serves a diverse, majority low-income student population in a town with a mixed economic base and modest growth. The state test results indicate that most students are not reaching the proficient benchmark, particularly in math and science, and the school’s overall standing is among the lower-performing in the county. The ELA results for seventh graders are a relative bright spot, but the variability by grade is something to explore with the school. Parents should expect to have direct conversations about what academic interventions, tutoring, or enrichment are available, and how the school works to move students toward grade-level proficiency.
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