The Margate City Board of Education maintains its office on the third floor of the William H. Ross Elementary School.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE – District Superintendent Audrey Becker Tuesday, Nov. 9 touted the Margate schools’ high marks in the independently published U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of public elementary and middle schools across the nation and specifically in New Jersey.
According to the rankings published on the usnews.com website, the William H. Ross School ranked 81st of 1,630 elementary schools in New Jersey, and the Eugene A. Tighe School ranked 32nd of 844 middle schools in the state.
“I am very proud of our district, staff, students and families because these rankings are not something we apply for. It’s not based on someone writing a wonderful application. These are just statistically objective comparisons among school districts,” Becker said.
According to U.S. News, schools were ranked on their performance on state tests, graduation and how well students are prepared for high school.
Both schools have a student-teacher ratio of 8:1. Enrollment at the Tighe School is 184 students, with a minority enrollment of 9.2% and 8% economically disadvantaged. Ross School has 176 students with a minority enrollment of 10% and 9% economically disadvantaged.
Despite being classified as economically disadvantaged, all students performed well on state assessments, Becker said.
“We are rated highly because not only have we proven that we educate our children well, but we educate all our children well,” she said. “We really strive to make sure we are not losing anyone from the top or bottom or in-between.”
Test scores show 77% of students in both schools scored at or above proficiency in mathematics compared to students across the state (57%) and 87% at or above proficiency in reading language arts compared to students across the state (49%).
Becker said the district has the highest rankings of all schools in Atlantic County.
“I just want to congratulate the teachers, educational assistants and administration for the rankings. It shows their hard work and dedication and how much you do for the students,” board member Joel Frankel said.
To learn more about the rankings, see https://www.usnews.com/education/k12
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