Theodore Schor Middle School, Piscataway NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Theodore Schor Middle School

Theodore Schor Middle School serves grades six through eight in the Piscataway Township School District. It is a regular public school, one of three middle schools in the district, located on Randolphville Road in a residential part of the township.

The student body is demographically diverse. Asian students make up the largest single group, Black and Hispanic students each account for a substantial share, and White students are a smaller presence. Just under half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a marker of the economic range within the school. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, so a family with a child in either category would want to ask the school directly about supports and staffing.

Academically, the school shows a clear split between subjects. In English language arts, a solid majority of seventh and eighth graders score at the proficient level or above on the state’s NJSLA assessments; sixth graders are close to that mark, with just over half reaching proficiency. Math results are more uneven. Sixth and seventh graders score at a more modest rate of proficiency, while eighth-grade math performance is markedly lower, with only a small share of students meeting the state standard. Science, tested only in eighth grade, also shows a low proficiency rate. The school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades lands above the midpoint when compared with other schools in Middlesex County, a broad and varied field of about thirty districts. That aggregate position is a relative strength, but the sharp drop in eighth-grade math and the weak science results are soft spots a family would want to explore further with the school.

The school environment details such as discipline rates, attendance patterns, and staffing ratios were not available in the data examined, so those pieces of the picture remain incomplete.

Piscataway itself is a large, car-dependent suburban township that blends residential neighborhoods with corporate office parks and two major Rutgers University campuses. There is no traditional downtown; the district’s eleven schools, municipal buildings, and civic facilities are scattered across the township. Interstate 287 and Route 18 are the main arteries, and NJ Transit bus service connects to New York City and surrounding areas. The housing market reflects the area’s suburban desirability: home values have been rising gradually, and both listing prices and rents are above national averages, though the county market shows steady inventory and moderate demand.

The Piscataway school district recently adopted a five-year strategic plan centered on student wellbeing, equity and inclusion, innovation, and community engagement, developed with broad public input. A new budget for the 2024-25 school year included a tax levy increase that translates to a modest annual increase for the average homeowner, and the district is also expanding its full-day preschool program through a state grant. These moves signal an active district administration focused on long-range planning and early childhood access.

Theodore Schor Middle School sits within a district that is investing in its future, and its own academic profile shows areas of solid performance alongside others that merit closer attention, especially in math and science as students approach high school.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 637%

School 37% · District 39% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 43% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 88%

School 8% · District 12% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 653%

School 53% · District 55% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 766%

School 66% · District 68% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 862%

School 62% · District 66% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 817%

School 17% · District 17%

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

This schoolPiscataway Township 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 6Lower-income29%Higher-income74%44 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income58%Higher-income72%15 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income49%Higher-income71%22 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income27%Higher-income46%19 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income35%Higher-income54%20 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income7%Higher-income8%1 pp gap