The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in English language arts. The lowest is 48% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Edison Middle School
Edison Middle School is a single-grade public school serving only sixth graders in West Orange, a suburban township in Essex County that functions as both an inner-ring suburb of Newark and a commuter suburb of New York City. The school is part of the West Orange Public Schools district, which recently reconfigured its middle school model to send all sixth graders to a dedicated central building before they move to separate seventh and eighth grade campuses. That structural change means every family with a rising sixth grader in West Orange will pass through this school, making it a shared transition point rather than a neighborhood-based assignment.
The academic picture comes from state testing in a single grade. In English language arts, a majority of sixth graders met or exceeded the proficiency standard. In math, roughly half did. The school's overall test performance, combining both subjects, sits above the midpoint when compared with other districts across Essex County. The gap between the two subjects is wide enough that a parent considering the school may want to ask the school directly about its math curriculum and any targeted support for students who arrive below grade level. There is no past year's data in the record, so it is not possible to see whether these results represent a trend or a single snapshot.
The student body is diverse. Black and Hispanic students together account for about three-quarters of enrollment, with white students making up a smaller share and Asian students a modest presence. Just under half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a middle range economically relative to the district's overall community. No data on special education or English learner populations was available, which is a gap a prospective parent would want to fill by contacting the school directly.
The community context matters for families deciding where to live. West Orange is a largely residential township with a Main Street commercial spine, an emerging Valley Arts District built on a former industrial corridor, and large park reservations including South Mountain Reservation and Eagle Rock Reservation. The housing market reflects its proximity to both Newark and Manhattan: home values are well above national averages, and rents are high. The local economy includes healthcare facilities and retail, and the township has seen modest population growth in recent years. No rail station exists within town limits, so commuting relies on NJ Transit bus service.
Because Edison serves only one grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on course access, staffing, discipline, or chronic absenteeism was available. The school's website and district office would be the next stop for a parent seeking specifics on class size, enrichment offerings, or how the school supports students who struggle in math. For a family entering the West Orange system, Edison represents the first year of a three-year middle school experience in a district that has invested in early childhood expansion and a reorganized grade configuration.
See more original research from School Decision →