Terrill Middle School, Scotch Plains NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Terrill Middle School

Terrill Middle School is a regular public school in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, serving students in fifth through eighth grade. It is part of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District. The school sits in a residential suburb that is seeing steady population growth and a deliberate push to redevelop its downtown with new housing and businesses. The community is primarily a bedroom community with a historic shopping district along Park Avenue, a village green that hosts farmers markets and concerts, and access to the Watchung Reservation for outdoor recreation. Home values in the area are high, and the county housing market shows strong demand with limited supply, making this a costly place to live. The school itself reflects that context: a very small share of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a largely affluent student body.

Academically, Terrill Middle School performs at a level that places it in the top quarter of districts within Union County when measured by overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. State testing results from the NJSLA show consistent strength in English language arts across all four grades. A large majority of students meet or exceed proficiency standards in reading and writing in each grade, with the highest performance in eighth grade. Mathematics results are also strong in grades five through seven, where most students score proficient or above. The one clear soft spot is eighth-grade math, where a smaller number of test takers produced a much lower proficiency rate. A parent may want to ask the school about math support and course placement for eighth graders, especially given the jump to high school the following year. Science results are more moderate: about half of fifth graders and a smaller share of eighth graders scored proficient in science, which is assessed under a different scoring criteria. No graduation rate data is reported because this is a middle school; the district's high school would carry that measure.

The student body is predominantly white, with Asian students making up the second largest group, followed by Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. There are many students in each grade, with a total enrollment that is substantial for a middle school. Special population counts for students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the provided data, so a parent may want to follow up with the school about the availability of special education services and English language support.

The peer environment is shaped by the community's affluence and suburban character. Class sizes are typical for a school of this size. The district runs five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. No recent school-level or district-level changes such as curriculum shifts, referendums, or boundary adjustments were found in publicly reported sources, so families can expect a stable institutional setting.

For a family considering this school, the picture is this: a high-performing middle school in an expensive suburb with strong academic results in most areas, particularly ELA, and a peer group that is largely economically comfortable. The grade eight math result is a point to investigate, but overall the school delivers a solid academic foundation in the middle grades. The community is walkable in its downtown core but otherwise car-dependent, with a growing residential base and ongoing redevelopment plans. This fits a family that values strong conventional academic achievement and can afford the high housing costs of the area.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 566%

School 66% · District 64% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Grade 664%

School 64% · District 55% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 771%

School 71% · District 68% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 49 pts above county median

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 6% · ▲ 14 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 573%

School 73% · District 71% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 674%

School 74% · District 75% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 775%

School 75% · District 76% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 890%

School 90% · District 80% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

Science

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 46% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 838%

School 38% · District 31% · ▲ 7 pts above district

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

This schoolScotch Plains-Fanwood 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.